The Academy
by LynxViscount
Summary: AU: Kagome and Kikyo are accepted into one of the highest rated finishing schools in the country. But what is the Headmaster hiding?
1. A Sign of Things to Come

**Disclaimer**: Nope, I don't own Inuyasha and his little troupe. sigh 

Note: Alright guys, go easy on me...I'm a beginner. I promise it'll get better further along, so please forgive my short first chapter.

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**Chapter One - A Sign of Things to Come**

Kagome sat uneasily in her seat in the cab, fiddling with the skirt of her new school uniform. Her twin, Kikyo, gave her a disgusted look before turning to stare back out of her window at the passing scenery. Kagome stuck her tongue out at Kikyo's turned head and tried once again to simply look out the window.

It had been a little over a month since her sister had received the invitation...

* * *

Kagome was sitting in bed reading when she heard the shriek from downstairs. Moments later, her twin had burst through their bedroom door and pounced on the bed, causing the still-ill Kagome to lose her spot. She grumbled for a moment while Kikyo tore open her letter and gave another ear-piercing shriek.

"LOOK!" she waved the letter in Kagome's face. "They've accepted me!"

Kagome forced a smile and took the letter from Kikyo's shaking hands to read it over herself. Yes, she admitted grudgingly, they HAD accepted her. The Academy. She scowled to herself, mentally cursing this illness that had kept her bedridden for so long. They'd never accept her, even if she did get better. She had missed so much school...she snapped out of her musings as she realized that Kikyo had fallen silent and was watching her with a confused frown.

She looked up and replaced the forced smile. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Aren't you happy for me? I just got accepted to the greatest school ever!"

And didn't she know it. "Of course I'm happy for you, you're my twin!" She allowed her smile to falter. "I...I just wish I was going with you..." she mumbled.

Kikyo sighed and locked her twin into a warm hug. "You know I'd take you with me in a heartbeat if I could." she whispered. "I'm sorry."

_Yeah, right._

Two days later, an identical envelope arrived, addressed to none other than Kagome. She was shocked, to say the least, and a little more than pleased. But when she tried to share her joy with her twin, she was met with angry glares and emotional outbursts to their mother about how Kagome had missed too much school and that she was still sick and on and on. She had confined herself to the sunroom for the rest of the day, listening to their heated arguments and trying to figure out why her sister didn't want to share this experience with her.

* * *

Kagome snapped back into reality when the car bumped softly to a stop. She glanced out the window and received the second greatest shock in her life. They were here. As the car passed through the gate, she rolled down her window and stuck her head out, ignoring another dirty look shot from her twin. But her awe held a hint of fear as she beheld the grand estate, though she couldn't place what caused it.

The first building looked more like a chapel than a school, with its tall spires and large, circular stained-glass window facing the tree-lined drive. It certainly had a foreboding affect, yet Kagome found it hard to look away to check out the rest of the school. But once she dragged her eyes away, she found the rest of the school as interesting. She saw an archery range, a swimming pool, a stable, and quite a few more buildings that she couldn't place the use of, though none were near so grand as the first.

She sat back in her seat with a plop, taking everything in. Kikyo hadn't moved from where she sat primly on the seat, her uniform still as pressed and perfect as when she put it on this morning. She was staring at the first building much like Kagome had done, and was subconsciously smoothing her plaid skirt and white blouse as she did. Kagome chuckled softly, glad to see her sister nervous at something. But she found herself smoothing her own ruffled skirt and clenched her hands together to stop their trembling. She knew as well as Kikyo did what would happen as soon as they passed through those foreboding doors. This was a boarding school, and there wouldn't be any turning back.

When the cab crunched to a halt again, each twin took a deep breath and stepped out into the slightly chilly air, the breeze ruffling their skirts. Though they hadn't been close the past month, Kikyo moved around to Kagome's side and took her cold hand. Then, both girls holding their heads high, they stepped together up the steps and pushed open the heavy doors.

"...hello?" Two soft and frightened voices said in the empty entrance hall.

"Well hello there, girls, we've been expecting you." A soft, but incredibly commanding masculine voice said. Both girls jumped and turned to find the source of the sound. The man chuckled and stood, moving into the light to get a good look at his two newest pupils.

They were both of moderate height, with the same deep brown eyes and slightly pale skin. But that was where the similarities ended. The taller of the two had her shoulder length hair pulled back into a tight bun, and her face had the look of one who knew how to get her way. She had a bit of make-up on to accent her sharp features, and her eyes, though fearful and nervous, held a haughty sort of pride that he found he liked. Her twin seemed much softer around the edges, slightly shorter and smaller over all. Her hair was down and rather mussed from hanging out the car window, and her eyes, though proud, were calm and almost shy from the going over they were getting. He chuckled again and rested a hand on each of their shoulders.

"Welcome to The Academy, my dears. My name is Naraku."


	2. Just a Few Familiar Faces

Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha, Inc., nor any of the other kiddies you'll see in this chapter. I won't tell you who they are now, cuz you'll see 'em soon!

Well folks, I only got on review for the first chapter, but that's okay, since it was so friggin' short. Hopefully this will make up for it a bit. As for what The Academy is...I can't tell you that! It'll ruin the story! Suffice to say that it's a finishing school, and the kids are all around 19 or 20. Kikyo and Kagome are 19 in this story. Worry not, my dears. All will be made clear in due time. winkwink

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**Chapter Two – Just a Few Familiar Faces**

Kagome simply stared at the man before them. He wore dark pants and a deep red shirt, commonplace enough, right? But his hair was what threw her – it was long and wavy, caught up in a simple ponytail high on his head, not quite so normal in this day and time. She fought the urge to reach up and touch it, just to be sure that it was real, but the sheer aura the man gave off kept her hands firmly at her sides.

It took her a moment to realize that her twin had bowed to their new headmaster, and that he was watching her with a look of dull curiosity. She bowed as well, mumbling her apologies, trying to forget that cold smirk right before her head was down.

"Good afternoon, Headmaster Naraku," came Kikyo's strong, clear voice. "I am Kikyo, and this is my sister, Kagome. We are most honored to be here."

Kagome silently thanked her twin, not quite trusting her voice to speak to this strange man yet. She froze as he again laid his hands on their shoulders, and regretting that Kikyo chose that moment to let go of her hand. They both straightened again. Naraku had turned and was speaking to a small boy, about the age of ten. She caught herself staring again, because while the child before them was most definitely male by his stance and voice, he too had long hair, though his fell freely about his shoulders and, wondrously, it was a light purple shade. She managed a faint smile as both the Headmaster and the young boy turned to them, nodding slightly.

"Ah, forgive me for not introducing you sooner. Girls, this is my son, Hakudoushi. Please escort these ladies to their room to prepare." Hakudoushi bowed low to his father and headed off towards a staircase in the corner.

"Come on, ladies, you do need to prepare." The boy said softly, and Kagome felt a shiver run through her body as they moved to follow. His eyes were the same color as his hair, and seemed to be pupil-less.

"Prepare for what, Master Hakudoushi?" Kikyo asked calmly, as Kagome was still too tongue tied to do anything other than look at the walls and floor as they walked.

"For the Opening Ball, of course." He smiled wryly as they stopped at the first door in a long hallway. Shouts and fighting could be heard from behind some of the other doors along the hallway. "Here is your room. You will find that your things have been brought up already. I shall see you both tonight." He bowed, dropped the key to the room in Kikyo's hand, and strode off back the way they had come.

* * *

The twins had spent most of the day unpacking and getting their dresses aired out, pausing for a bit only when a maid brought them up a light supper. When eight o'clock rolled around, both girls were putting the finishing touches on their outfits. Kikyo had opted for a tight-fitting red dress, with off-the-shoulder sleeves and a slit up to her mid-thigh on both sides. Her hair was up in a bun held by a pair of bejeweled sticks. Kagome went more traditional, with a medieval-ish princess cut dress in a light blue. Her hair as down and curled, and she had sprinkled glitter in it and across her shoulders, giving her normally pale skin a healthy glow. 

The twins stood looking each other over when there was a knock at the door. Hakudoushi's voice called out to them, announcing that the ball would be beginning in a few minutes. The girls called back their affirmation, scrambled for one last look in the mirror, then left their room together, one head held high, the other simply looking at the ground with tired resignation.

The sound of music drew them towards the grand ballroom on the second floor. With a slight nod to each other, they pushed open the double doors and entered.

* * *

It was a grand scene, to be sure, though the room seemed a bit smaller than Kagome was expecting for such an event. Two long tables filled with snacks and drinks stood against the left and right walls, and a third table stood on a platform on the back wall. The walls held many portraits and landscapes, and the stained-glass window she had seen on the drive up was sparkling over the far table, lit by the setting sun. The floor was oak and covered in age-old scuffs and small dings, obviously from being danced on for many years. The other students milled around the snack tables, but the far table had caught and held Kagome's attention. 

Many adults sat along the table, who Kagome could only guess were the teachers of the school. Headmaster Naraku sat in the very center, with Hakudoushi on his right, both wearing full black tuxedos with blood-red bowties. On Naraku's left was a stately-looking lady wearing a traditional kimono with her hair up in a bun. Kagome was startled to find that the lady had bright red eyes.

On the lady's left was a rather tall man dressed in a simple red jacket. His hands were covered by long brown leather gloves, and a pair of yellow glasses shaded his apparently green eyes. His hair was blond and sticking straight up and back from his face, and Kagome didn't want to think how much hairspray and gel went into keeping his hair up like that.

The blond in red was talking animatedly to what Kagome assumed was a man on his left. She could only assume because the person was dressed in a full suit of armor, heavy and clunky looking. Yet the person still moved with ease, though she noticed after a while that he had no plate before him.

The lady on the end of the table was on the stout side, and had an eye-patch over her right eye. Her hair was graying, and she kept it back in a loose tail down her back. She was dressed in a traditional miko's outfit, and she ate little and spoke less, though she seemed to be listening intently to the conversations around her.

Kagome's attention jumped to the other side of Hakudoushi, having run out of people on the left side of the table. The man on Hakudoushi's right was lean and lanky and dressed in a dark blue suit that looked like it needed a couple of patches here and there. He was poking at his food with a look of mild distaste and confusion on his face, which was framed by a mop of dark green, very fuzzy hair. Kagome fought the urge to snicker as he took a bite and made a face, pushing the plate aside in favor of a glass of wine.

Next to him was a man whose hair was almost as bushy, but much longer and kept back in a tail. It was a soft red color, which complimented his violet eyes. He wore a purple shirt and flowing white pants, and he too was chuckling at the man in blue's reaction to his food. He seemed gentle, but Kagome could see the obvious power the man possessed. She gave a little shiver, then continued on.

The man on his other side was taller and quite muscular, though his left arm seemed a little stiff. He was balding, but still had a shock of black hair on either side of his head and a full beard. He was laughing out loud at the man in blue, and they seemed to be having quite a conversation over the red-head's head. He was dressed rather simply for the occasion, but then he didn't really seem like the type who enjoyed dressing up.

On the right end of the table sat a pair that could only be described as odd, though it was obvious when you looked at them that they were supposed to be together. Next to the balding man sat a young girl, probably no older than Hakudoushi. She had long black hair, partially pulled into a ponytail to the side of her head. She was dressed in an orange patterned kimono, and was watching the students milling around with a dreamy expression on her face, her chin propped up on her hand. Every now and then she'd turn and ask something of the man on her right.

Now he was well worth the look. Long white hair fell down his shoulders and probably all the way down his back. His eyes were a deep gold, but held an icy glare as he stared out across the room. There was a purple crescent in the middle of his forehead, and two purple stripes across each cheek. His suit was white with purple touches here and there, and he had some kind of fur ruff going over his right shoulder. His expression only changed when he turned to the girl; his eyes only then lost their cold glare and warmed ever so slightly.

Kagome shook herself, snapping her mouth shut and making sure she hadn't been drooling. She must have been standing there for a good ten minutes, simply staring. Kikyo had gone on to talk to a little clump of girls next to one of the snack tables, and Kagome lifted the hem of her dress to jog over to her sister, ignoring the snickers and stares of the guys at the other table.

Headmaster Naraku choose that moment to stand and tap a fork against his glass, causing everyone to freeze and look up to the teacher's table. Kagome had to stop practically in mid-stride, not a foot from the protection of the little clump of girls, but she dared not move until the teacher's attentions had been diverted again.

"Welcome students, welcome to the Opening Ball. We are all very glad to have you attending with us this year. Please allow me to introduce your teachers. They must be treated with the utmost respect at all times, and I do certainly hope that no one here would be rude in any way to their elders." A soft ripple of ascent rumbled through the students, and Naraku seemed pleased.

"Alright then, we shall start from the furthest to my left. First we have Madam Kaede. To her right is Master Alphonse. To his right is Master Vash. To his right is Madam Kagura." Here he paused and nodded slightly. "To my right is Master Hakudoushi. To his right is Master Spike, then Master Kenshin, and Master Jet. And of course we have Master Sesshoumaru and his assistant, Mistress Rin."

A ripple of applause ran through the students as the teachers all rose as one and bowed. When they had seated themselves again, Naraku continued.

"Now, classes begin tomorrow. As you leave the ball tonight, you will be given a packet of information and your schedules. Let me remind you that all watches need to be synchronized with the grandfather clock in the main hallway, as that will be the basis for all time schedules while you are here." He paused and raised a hand to the small orchestra in the balcony over the door. "Have fun tonight, children. Let the ball begin."

As Naraku sat down, the band began its first number, an old-time waltz. No one seemed to want to bridge the gap between the two groups, but Kagome was still standing apart from the clump of girls, making her an easy target. She had been distracted by the music from above and didn't notice the footsteps walking up to her. She let out a short yelp and spun as she felt a hand on her shoulder, relaxing visibly when she noticed it was one of the teachers and not some sex-crazed student. Her mind worked frantically for a moment, trying to recall the name of the blond man in the red jacket, then smiled warmly when it hit her.

"Good evening, Master Vash. Can I help you?" She curtsied slightly, keeping her eyes on the handsome man before her.

"I certainly hope so. Might I have this first dance?" He smiled and held out his hand to her. "Everyone else seems much too afraid to do anything."

Kagome chuckled. "Ah, so you noticed." She took his hand and was lead to the center of the floor. "Are you sure the Headmaster won't be upset?" She turned to face him and set her other hand on his shoulder with a bit of stretching. _Good grief, he's tall._

Vash grinned. "Nah, I doubt it. Just a little friendly time between teacher and student, eh?" They began dancing, ignoring the whispered comments from students and teachers alike.

She shook her head, giggling. "Just keep your hands where I can see them, buddy, and we'll do just fine." This earned her a loud laugh from Vash as they spun around the dance floor.

They threw witty banter back and forth until the song ended and they bowed and curtsied to each other. All was slient for a moment until Master Alphonse stood and began clapping, producing an oddly hollow sound. The other teachers quickly joined in, followed rather begrudgingly by the students. Kagome looked around and was shocked to find that she and Vash had been the only ones dancing through the entire waltz.

She snapped back into reality as Vash bowed again and kissed her hand. "You are a fine dancer, my lady. I must remember to demand a dance from you every chance I get. Might I have your name?"

Kagome blushed slightly. "Kagome is my name, Master Vash. And you're not a bad dancer yourself. I would be honored to dance with you again." She smiled before turning and practically running back to Kikyo's side, trying like mad to wipe the blush from her cheeks. But she stopped dead when she caught Kikyo's cold gaze.

"Stay away from me, _sister_. You have just shamed yourself, acting so familiar with one of our teachers!" She was almost visibly shaking with anger as she strode off to the guys' end of the room, grabbing some hapless fool and pulling him back to the dance floor as the music began again.


	3. Of Approval and Acceptance

Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha, Kenshin, Vash, FMA, or any of those others. Nope, not mine at all. I'm sad. 

Well folks, it's another slightly short chapter, but the nex part doesn't fit with it. Ah well, what can you do? Please review, and I'd love fanart! hinthint

**darkangelprincess24:** Thanks so much! It is a bit frustrating that no one's reviewing, but I'm glad that I do have at leastone supporter! Thanks muchly!

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**Chapter Three – Of Approval and Acceptance**

_You have shamed yourself…you have shamed yourself…_

Those four little words rang through her mind as she sat on a chair against the wall, watching as more and more of the students began dancing. She was completely dumbfounded, but oddly, not a bit ashamed.

_You have shamed yourself… No, wait, that's not what she was saying… You have shamed **ME**…_

She smirked grimly at the thought. Of course, that had to be it. Kikyo had been shamed to see that Kagome, sickly little Kagome, had been dancing like a professional with such a tall and handsome man. She shook her head slightly and cast her eyes to the ground. Ah well, it didn't matter anyways. All the boys seemed to be afraid of her now, whether for the fact that she could actually dance or that they'd be following after an equally talented partner. She chanced a glance back to the teacher's table, noting that half the seats were empty. Headmaster Naraku was dancing with Kagura, and Vash looked like he was currently trying to talk Kaede into dancing, while Rin was tugging gently on Sesshoumaru's hand.

She sighed again and returned her gaze to the floor, only to find her boring little staring square occupied by a pair of shoes. A pair of men's shoes. Her gaze traveled up the brown slacks and gray shirt to a ruggedly handsome face. He had sharp features, accented by his black hair, which was pulled back in a long ponytail. His eyes were a clear, crystalline blue, and he was extending a hand to her.

"Tonight certainly isn't a night for wallflowers. Would you like to dance?" He smiled slightly, and she found that his voice fitted him well, being slightly gruff.

Kagome smiled as well and took his hand. "Well, if you do insist, sir…?"

He laughed lightly and gave her hand a squeeze as they moved to the dance floor. "Ah, I do insist. And the name's Kouga. And what name might I call this angel next to me?"

She blushed slightly, ducking her head. "Kagome is my name, sir Kouga." She turned to face him, putting her hand on his shoulder, a bit grateful that she didn't have as far to reach this time. "And I'd like to thank you." She said softly, glancing about at the other couples, noting that Sesshoumaru and Rin had begun dancing as well, albeit a bit awkwardly.

"Thank me? For what, my lady?" Kouga frowned down at her, confused.

She chuckled and awarded him a warm smile. "For asking me to dance. I'm sure that there are prettier girls who didn't start the night by dancing with a teacher and shaming her twin." She stared at a button on his shirt, fighting back tears.

He simply laughed outright for a minute, then turned to her slightly shocked face. "Ah, not to worry. You are quite obviously the most beautiful creature in this entire school, and while the others might be intimidated by Master Vash, I can beat him any day." He puffed out his chest in pride.

Kagome had been blushing furiously after the second sentence, but by the end she was grinning broadly, allowing Kouga to twirl her around and dip her at the end of the song. As they straightened, both panting slightly from the exertion, Kagome happened to glance to her right and catch Kikyo's hardened glare. She froze for a moment, then turned and smiled sadly to Kouga.

"I thank you, kind sir, for the dance and the conversation. I do hope to have the chance again." She curtsied and turned away before he could say anything more, almost running back to the relative safety of her chair against the wall. She collapsed in it, eyes closed tight lest she catch her twin's icy gaze again.

"You know, you probably shouldn't let her push you around like that." came a gruff, masculine voice on her left. Kagome sighed and rested her head against the wall, not bothering to open her eyes just yet.

"Yeah, I know. But I guess it's always been that way. No real use in trying to change things after nineteen years of living in her shadow, eh?"

"Keh, I suppose not, if you wanna be that way about it. Not like I care or anything." The sound of fabric rustling softly.

Kagome chuckled and shook her head slightly. "I didn't choose this path, _she_ did. Dear, sweet Kikyo, smart Kikyo, strong Kikyo, beautiful Kikyo," her voice began to crack slightly, "…healthy Kikyo." A single tear escaped her eye, and she reached up to brush it off. "Ah, forgive me sir. I didn't mean to bore you with my troubles, but I do thank you for lis-" She opened her eyes and turned to the man, stumbling to a stop at what she found.

He was simply dressed in a pair of black slacks and a dark red button-up shirt, which contrasted nicely with the white hair spilling down his back. _White? No, pardon me, silver_. His eyes were golden, and perched on top of his head were a pair of white dog ears, which were currently twisting about. She fought the urge to rub them, because from the look on his face from the going-over she was giving him, he would have gone through the roof.

"Thank me for what?" His eyes had narrowed slightly, having already glanced her over while her eyes were closed.

"Oh! Um, yeah, thanks for listening." She stammered, turning her gaze to her lap, blushing from being caught.

"Keh. I just wanted to see if you were any different from your sister." He stood and stomped off to a refreshment table, leaving Kagome alone with her thoughts again.

She watched him leave, mind working furiously over his simple comment and trying hard to ignore the way his hair flowed as he walked. _Bad Kagome! No cookie for you! Get your mind out of the gutter!_ She put a hand to her forehead and sighed, then glanced up as Headmaster Naraku announced the last dance of the night. She glanced at her watch, shocked to find that it was nearly eleven already. She stood and smoothed her dress and wandered over to the refreshment table to grab a cracker. She highly doubted anyone else would ask her to dance, and she had might as well get her fill before bed. She took a handful and went back to her chair to watch the couples, tapping her foot to the slow beat. She half wondered if they'd let her play her clarinet with the orchestra sometime, but that train of thought soon derailed, taking her handful of crackers with it.

That boy, that gorgeous boy with the silver hair and amber eyes, was dancing with her sister. And what a pair they made! Kikyo's sharp beauty and slinky dress, his silver hair and red and black attire. She tried desperately to turn her gaze away, feeling the all too familiar feelings of jealousy forcing its way to the surface. She closed her eyes, breathing deeply, trying to steady her heartbeat, but finding it rather difficult. Giving in to pain, she stood and made her way to the door, thankfully remembering to pick up her packet from the table on the way, and left the happy ballroom to return to her own, blessedly empty, bedroom.

* * *

Kikyo returned to the room, flushed and laughing about something to find the lights off and the bed closest to the window occupied. Turning on the lamp beside the other bed, she looked down on Kagome's form.

"Kagome? Are you awake?" Silence greeted her, and she shrugged, digging around for a pair of pajamas before going into the bathroom connected to their room.

It was going to be a long year.


	4. An UnRomantic Interlude

Disclaimer - I don't own Inuyasha. This makes me sad.

Alrighty folks! Here's a bit of the comedy that was promised, as well as hints of what might be coming. Have fun and enjoy!

**Cold Kikyo:** Hurray! Another reviewer! I'm typing out another chapter just as fast as my fingers will allow. Glad you like it!

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**Chapter Four – An (Un)Romantic Interlude**

Kagome was the first to wake up the next morning, stretching and yawning in the bit of sunlight peeking through the curtains. She grumbled to herself and hopped out of bed, grabbing a pair of jeans and a thin green sweater before heading into the little bathroom.

Having showered and dressed, she stepped back into the room, toweling her hair dry as she sat on her bed and dug around for the packet of information. Grumbling softly and tossing the towel to the end of the bed, she glanced to the clock. 7:23, perfect. She chanced a glance at Kikyo and smirked. Her twin had always liked to sleep in, and the alarm wasn't set to go off until 8. With a sigh, she lay on her stomach on the bed, opening the packet and skimming over the rules and regulations before skipping to her schedule.

**Monday to Friday**

_9:00 AM to 10:30 AM..._Combat Training - Vash/Kenshin/Spike

_10:35 AM to 12:00 PM..._Philosophy and Alchemy - Alphonse

_1:05 PM to 2:30 PM..._Music and Dance - Kagura

_2:35 PM to 4:00 PM..._Language and Logic - Jet

_4:05 PM to 5:30 PM..._History and War Tactics - Sesshoumaru

_7:00 PM to 10:00 PM..._Free Time

_10:00 PM..._Curfew

**Saturday**

_1:00 PM to 5:00 PM..._Horseback - Hakudoushi

**Sunday**

_9:00 AM to 12:00 PM..._Church Services with Father Wolfwood (optional)

_2:00 PM to 5:00 PM..._Healing and Purifying – Kaede

**Daily Mealtimes**

_8:00 to 9:00 AM..._Breakfast

_12:00 to 1:00 PM..._Lunch

_6:00 to 7:00 PM..._Dinner

She frowned slightly, glancing over the schedule again. _Busy life they've got us living…_ She glanced over to the corner where her clarinet case and her sister's flute case sat. _Well, at least I'll get a chance to play it while I'm here…_ She stepped over and ran a hand over the leather case and her brass nameplate, a small smile crossing her face. Well, time enough for those thoughts later. She glanced at the clock again…7:49. Yeah, good enough time as any.

Throwing on a pair of shoes, she stepped quietly out the door, shut it behind her, and headed down the hall. She got barely three steps before all hell broke loose.

Kagome screamed and ducked as a door behind her exploded outwards, allowing two death locked forms to spill out into the hallway. She crouched down next to the wall, ready to spring away if the fight continued down the hall, then gasped when she realized who it was that was fighting.

Kouga and the silver-haired boy from last night were all over each other, rolling around the carpeted hallway, hands clawing for each other's throats and yelling insults back and forth. Kagome watched for a few minutes out of sheer curiosity before sighing and standing again, dusting herself off and walking calmly toward the two men.

The fighting just seemed to get worse as she walked up to the two, and she marveled at the fact that no other doors had opened to see what was going on. _These rooms must be sound-proof…I wonder why…_ She snapped out of her ponderings and considered the two rolling around on the ground. She put her hands on her hips and opened her mouth to tell them off, but her chance was stolen as they suddenly rolled into her legs, throwing her off balance and taking her down with them into a tangle of limbs.

Both took a minute or two to realize that another had joined their little fray, and after much shifting around, Kagome found herself in an even worse situation. She opened her eyes to find that she had somehow ended up on the bottom, with both Kouga and the silver-haired boy half on top of her and their faces inches from her own. They had somehow gotten wrapped up in a poor blanket that had the misfortune of getting dragged out into the hall in the initial explosion from the bedroom. She blinked, trying hard to control her breathing as she looked first to the golden eyes, then the blue, and back again. No one seemed to want to break the silence that had descended.

Kagome cleared her throat. "Well…g…good morning to you both." She whispered, trying not to look at either one for too long. She glanced down to find her hands pressed against two bare chests, and she blushed furiously. "Umm….how do we get out of this?"

To their own benefit, neither man had his hand on anything naughty. Kouga's hands were pinned off to the side, and the silver-haired boy's right arm was over her stomach and pressed against the floor, while his left was crushed under his ribs. Both were simply regarding her with an almost dazed expression, and she squirmed uncomfortably.

"Umm…Kouga?" she glanced from him to the silver haired boy. "I…I don't know your name…but please, my sister will be waking up soon, and she's mad enough at me as is." She squirmed again, trying to find a foothold to press against. "Guys…?"

Her mouth opened in shock at the grins that were spreading across both males' faces.

"Well, I don't know now. A fine young specimen like this, all tangled up with us in a rather…interesting way…" Kouga paused and seemed to sniff the air. "And a virgin at that! Would you pass up a chance like this, Inuyasha?" He turned his eyes to the silver-haired boy, who by now was wearing an identical smirk.

"You know, Kouga, I think you're right. We can just roll our way back into our room and have a little fun, eh?" He gave a wink to Kouga.

Kagome was in a panic now, pushing against both chests and squirming with all her might. "No! No, please don't! I…I…" She gave up and turned her tear filled eyes to each boy in turn. "You….you wouldn't, would you?" she sniffed.

It was amazing what that little act did to both boys. Both instantly dropped their grins and turned concerned and apologetic.

"Well….no. No! No, we'd never do that to you…" Inuyasha began.

"Or anyone else for that matter!" added Kouga.

"Yeah, so please…"

"Just don't cry!" They both said at once, with such worry and fear in their eyes that Kagome began to giggle.

"Okay, okay guys, I believe you. Now can we get out of this blanket? It's getting warm, and everyone will be waking up soon." Kagome smiled, and both boys relaxed visibly.

"Yeah well, I suppose. Alright, on the count of three, we all roll to the right, okay?" said Kouga, and Inuyasha nodded slightly, getting ready to push off with his left.

"One…two…three!"

They all flung themselves to the right, Inuyasha's right arm moving to pull Kagome with him, up and over Kouga. Kagome opened her eyes again to find herself now on top of Inuyasha, with Kouga stretching his arms next to them. She giggled and pushed up off his bare chest, standing up to stretch as well.

"Well that was an interesting way to start the day." Kagome dropped her arms to her sides, then offered a hand to both Kouga and Inuyasha. "Shall we go get some breakfast, boys?"

Both laughed and jumped up. "At least let us get dressed first, hm?" Kouga grinned and strode back into the room, Inuyasha following after, stretching his neck. It was then that Kagome realized that both had only been wearing shorts, and a fresh wave of blushing burned her face. She leaned back against the wall, hand on her heart, taking deep breaths to calm herself.

The two emerged again a minute later, Kouga dressed in a pair of brown shorts and a metal and leather plate of armor across his chest. His hair was back in a ponytail, and he wore a headband of brown fur and brown leather boots. Inuyasha was decked out in a red jacket and pants, and wore black boots on his feet. His hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, and his ears were flicking around. Kagome smiled and turned to offer her arms to both boys.

"Would you two handsome men do me the honor of escorting me to breakfast?" she grinned.

Inuyasha moved to take her right hand, and Kouga took her left.

"But of course, my lady!" Kouga beamed.

"Eh, might as well make up for the little scuffle we caused." Said Inuyasha gruffly.

Kagome grinned as the started toward the stairs. "By the way, what were you two fighting about?" She glanced up at each of them, noting how they both became a bit uncomfortable at the question. "Well?"

"Uh…well, it's really nothing, you know? Just…just guy stuff." Kouga mumbled.

"Keh." Was all Inuyasha had to say on the matter.

What both of them couldn't bear to admit was that their fight was about Kagome and Kikyo, and more importantly, which one was better looking. Both had picked the same girl, and the resulting fight was over who would get her.

Kagome shrugged. "Ah well, I guess it doesn't really matter. Let's just get some food in our bellies," her voice dropped to a whisper, "and never speak of what just happened to anyone else, ESPECIALLY my sister." Her face hardened slightly, causing both males to glance down at her in confusion and mild fear. No, they couldn't tell her now.

They had both chosen her.

* * *

Kikyo had awoken at 8, and had gotten dressed rather quickly. She had read over her schedule the night before, and was heading down to breakfast when she heard voices before her on the stairs. Moving quickly and quietly, she went to the top of the stairs and peered down, shocked at what she saw.

Kagome, little Kagome, arm in arm with two of the best looking guys in school, and laughing like they were good friends? She was baffled to say the least, and overwhelmingly jealous. But she paused before dashing down the stairs. No, no, she'd have to find another way to get back at her. And oh yes, she would get back at her.


	5. Wanderings and Musings

**Disclaimer:** I own all of 3 characters in this story, and my husband has claims to 1. All the others don't belong to me.

Well folks, I've been busy with work and planning for when my family gets here in a week, so I might be a little behind inupdating for a while. I'll do my best though!

**naiteki:** Support! I'm not worthy. Thanks muchly!

**darkangelprincess24:** Hehe, yeah, I try. I'll update soon...I hope...I'm glad you've stuck with me!

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**Chapter Five – Wanderings and Musings**

Breakfast passed rather quickly as Kagome sat at the same little table as Kouga and Inuyasha, trying to stomach her own food as they devoured everything they could get their hands on. It was an interesting experience, to say the least, and had gathered quite a crowd, most of the guys betting on who would be the first to quit. But it all seemed over in an instant, and much to the others' dismay (and Kagome's relief), both ran out of food at the same time and sat back to stretch. Kagome giggled as everyone else wandered off, then turned to the two handsome men.

"Are you two related in any way? You act so much alike." She glanced between the two, eyes dancing.

Kouga was first to reply. "Eh, yeah, I guess we are. Some kind of distant cousin, right Inu?"

Inuyasha nodded slightly, arms crossed. "Yeah, something like that. You should ask Sess, he's got the whole family tree mapped out somewhere."

Kagome frowned, puzzled. "Sess? Who's that?"

Inuyasha raised a brow at her question. "Sesshoumaru? Tall guy, white hair, yellow eyes? You know, the teacher?" Kagome finally nodded in recognition. "Yeah, him. He's my older brother."

Kagome's mouth fell open. "Really? Well, yeah, now that you mention it, I can see the resemblance." She cocked her head, glancing over Inuyasha's features and making him, quite obviously, very uncomfortable.

Kouga snickered, then stretched again and stood. "Well guys, it's Saturday and we don't have to be anywhere for a while, let's go exploring!" He looked for all the world like a giddy little schoolboy, and added to the effect by rocking back and forth on his heels.

Inuyasha grumbled something about bakas and stood, Kagome rising next to him to take both their arms again.

"I hope you guys don't mind, but I like walking like this. Kinda makes me feel…" she screwed up her face, trying to find the right word. "…important." Her face fell slightly, causing both guys to frown and give each other knowing glances.

"Hey, we don't mind. Now let's wander mindlessly for a while." Kouga smiled down at her, and she awarded him a grin of her own.

"Alright then, tell me about yourselves." She looked between them expectantly as they wandered up a dark and dusty staircase. "Inuyasha, you go first."

He grumbled to himself. "Keh, fine, what could it hurt. My name is Inuyasha Gin. My father was the great Inutaisho, the great Demon Lord of the West." He paused for effect, smirking at the look of amazement on Kagome's face. "I'm 20 years old, Sesshoumaru is my older brother, and I'm here because of him. Both of my parents are dead, and he insisted that I continue my education of everything useful where he could keep an eye on me." He shrugged, then turned to Kouga, grinning again. "I guess that makes it your turn, since little miss Kagome here is still in shock."

They had passed quite a few closed doors on the hallway they were on before coming to an open one, which turned out to be another stairwell, this one spiral. Inuyasha went first, Kagome following silently, and Kouga bringing up the rear.

"My name is Kouga Urufu, and I'm prince of the wolf demons." He puffed out his chest proudly, forgetting for the moment that neither could see him. Kagome chuckled softly though. "I'm also 20 years old, and I'm actually here of my own choice, to better myself and thus better my pack."

"Keh, sounds like you read that out of a textbook" Inuyasha grumbled as he stopped on the landing for a moment, then stepped aside for Kagome and Kouga to pass.

Kagome gasped and ran around the bell to the rail. "Oh, gosh…wow!" She squealed in delight. They were in the bell tower, staring out over the school grounds. It was picturesque, to say the least. The sun was still rising slowly into the sky, and Kagome guessed it to be about 10 AM. The rooftops of the other buildings seemed to sparkle, and she could hear a whinny or two from the stables. The whole area looked lush and inviting, and Kagome leaned on the rail, sighing happily. Inuyasha shrugged and sat on the floor against a pillar, and Kouga stood across from him, leaning against another pillar.

"I guess it's my turn, eh?" Silence greeted her, and she sighed, closing her eyes briefly.

"My name is Kagome Higurashi, and I'm 19 years old. I'm forever little sister to Kikyo Higurashi, though she's my twin." Her face hardened again in a way the boys were coming to expect whenever she mentioned her sister. "I'm no demon, no one special really. Just your average human here." She laughed coldly, opening her eyes and staring out at the inviting horizon. "And to tell the truth, I have no clue why I'm here. I spent nearly all of my senior year of high school in bed with an illness that no one could figure out how to cure. I missed a lot of school, and it took a lot of my strength, and so all that's left is this." She waved a hand over herself, summing up the slightly shortened stature, paler skin, and legs that were shaking slightly from the exertion of the walking. She glanced to both boys, then sighed again and went back to looking at the grounds, freezing when she saw who was out at the archery range.

Kikyo stood there with a long bow in her hand, arrow notched and at the ready at her cheek. Kagome watched her sister with a kind of grim pride, knowing that she would hit the mark. And her sister didn't disappoint, firing off a clean bulls-eye, and Kagome let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding. A girl with a shock of pink hair stood next to Kikyo, obviously complimenting her on her form. Kagome sighed.

"I guess I still love her," she said after a few minutes, startling both boys out of their thoughts. "I guess I never stopped loving her, though it seems she might have stopped loving me." She laughed hollowly. "You know she got the invitation first, and when I got mine, she didn't want me to come with her. She fought with our mother of all people, and that's a battle neither of us have ever won." She shook her head and turned away from the scene below her, slumping to the floor with her back against the rail. "Ah well, sorry to have bored you both. But, at least I didn't start crying, eh?" She forced a smile, trying to lighten the mood.

Kouga burst out laughing instantly, but Inuyasha only "keh-ed" and folded his arms again, staring out into space.

They sat up there for a good while, and it was only when Inuyasha's stomach began growling. Kagome rolled her eyes at him.

"Honestly, Inuyasha, how can you be hungry after how much you ate this morning?" Kouga's stomach answered with a growl of its own, and even Kagome's rumbled faintly. She threw her hands up in defeat.

"Alright, fine, I know when I'm beat. Let's get some lunch and go riding!"

* * *

Lunch passed about the same as breakfast had, though Kagome noted that Kikyo wasn't in the room. Once the two males had finished stuffing their faces and Kagome had finished eating as daintily as she could, they found themselves in a press of students clamoring out the back door.

Kagome found herself sandwiched between Kouga and a rather short boy who had his blond hair in a braid down his back, with Inuyasha right behind them, grumbling to himself about something. The whole group was scrunched pretty tight for a moment or two as they tried to push through the double doors all at once, but once past them the student body fanned out again, some breaking into a run towards the stables. Kagome reached behind her and pulled Inuyasha up next to her, and the trio meandered over to join the crowd.

Hakudoushi stood on the top rail of the corral, his lavender hair braided today. He smiled softly before raising his hand for quiet.

"Alright everyone, it is my pleasure to welcome you to your first class at The Academy." There were a few claps throughout the gathered class, but they died down fast enough. He smiled again.

"To begin, all the horses are already saddled and waiting for today only. Every Saturday after this, you will be expected to chose and tack your own horses, as well as cool them down and clean them up afterward." Murmurs passed through the crowd at this, some pleased, others not looking forward the task. Hakudoushi clapped his hands.

"Alright then! Form a line and come this way. Lynx, if you'd assist me please." A rather short girl stepped out of the crowd, her long blue hair billowing in the wind. She bowed to Hakudoushi, then smiled almost shyly at the crowd.

"This is Lynx, and while she's a student, she's the most knowledgeable person here about the nature of these horses. Many of them were born on her family's ranch, and you will all listen to her as you would one of the teachers." Kagome noticed a faint blush creeping across Lynx's face, but marveled in the way she held herself.

The students all fell into line, Kagome once again between Kouga and Inuyasha, not noticing the random low growls the two directed at any male that tried to sandwich himself in. Hakudoushi stood by the gate as Lynx hopped over the fence and strode off toward the horses, pulling herself up onto a leggy black mare and beginning to herd the others nearer to the fence.

"Alright now, you will each enter the corral one at a time and choose your mount. Lynx will assist you should you need her." He paused as the herd came thundering to the fence, startling a few of the students. "Alright dear, you're first." He opened the gate to allow a tall blonde to enter, even though she was obviously scared to death.

One by one, they had entered the corral and chose their mounts. Kagome found herself atop a dappled grey gelding, Kouga looked pretty smug on his bay gelding, and Inuyasha seemed to be having trouble with his palomino mare. Kagome couldn't help but snicker a bit.

"Girl trouble there, Inuyasha? Don't tell me she's too much for you." She grinned.

"Keh, as if any woman could get the best of me." Inuyasha grumbled as he fiddled with the reins. "Don't see the point in riding anyways…I'm much faster than any horse any day."

Kagome shrugged, not doubting the man's claim at all. She'd heard of demon's speed, though she hadn't witnessed it for herself, and it was said that dog and wolf demons were among the fastest. She chanced a glance at Kouga, who was still sitting primly atop his horse. He almost looked like he belonged there, until she noticed that he'd left the reins trailing limply down the saddle. Kagome burst out laughing as Lynx appeared to gently correct him.

"Alright folks, lets move out!" Hakudoushi's voice rang out, and everyone made to turn their horses to follow, some with more success than others. The blonde girl who was the first to choose her horse was effectively making it do donuts in the soft dirt of the corral. Lynx looked rather exasperated as she moved to the girl's rescue, earning quite a few snickers as everyone fell into place. It was then that Kagome caught a glimpse of what Hakudoushi was riding.

It was tall, and its fierce red eyes seemed to stare over the horses with an air of absolute authority. His mane and tail were red, and stood up like flames. The rest of his body was white, and it certainly made for an imposing creature. Hakudoushi seemed tiny atop the fiery creature, but he seemed to hold some power over the steed.

"Alright everyone, we're just going to put the horses through their paces for today. We'll return early and go through the processes of cleaning up." He smirked slightly. "Everyone ready?" He nodded to Lynx, who trotted up the line, spinning her mare, as she held up a hand.

"MOVE OUT!" Lynx bellowed, then whistled the horses into a brisk walk. Kagome stared at her in open-mouthed shock, amazed that such a powerful sound could come from such a small girl. The line moved past her, and Lynx gave them each a smile before turning her mare to bring up the end of the line.

* * *

The ride was peaceful enough. They wound their way through the forest surrounding the schoolgrounds, Kagome taking note of a nice lake here, a shady glade there, and a long expanse of grass that Hakudoushi made them gallop across. Hakudoushi stayed at the head of the line, silent and almost stoic atop his monster of a horse. Lynx frequently moved up and down the line, correcting postures and hands before settling in next to the girl ahead of Kouga. The two were obviously good friends, because they were soon talking animatedly. Kagome took the chance of a straight path to turn and glance back at Inuyasha, who finally seemed to have settled down and almost seemed to be enjoying himself. He raised a brow at her, then smiled slightly.

"Well? Enjoying yourself?" Kagome asked sweetly.

"Keh, whatever. I still say I'm faster by myself."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Inuyasha, right now, ANY of us would be faster on our own, horses or no." She grinned.

Inuyasha smirked back, but his mare chose that moment to try and wrench out of his death grip on the reins, and his retort was cut short. Kagome laughed and turned back to face the front as they came up on the stables again. Lynx and her friend had broken out of line and gone to open the pasture gate, and Hakudoushi held up a hand for silence.

"Alright, you will each dismount and lead your horse into their stall, then Lynx and Ryfen will each give a demonstration to each half of the stable. Pay attention, because after next week, no mistakes will be tolerated." He made to dismount, then paused and called out again. "This here is Entei," he patted the stallion for emphasis, "Do NOT touch him unless you wish to die a gruesome death. That is all, move out." He spurred Entei into a gallop towards a smaller stable that Kagome hadn't noticed before. Obviously, the demon horse couldn't be trusted around the normal ones, and thus had to be kept separate. She shrugged mentally as she dismounted and followed Kouga into the stable for their lesson.

* * *

"Hello, I'm Ryfen Orand, and I'll be teaching you worthless know-it-alls about the proper care of horses!"

Kagome giggled, liking the girl instantly. Her bright pink hair identified her as the girl she had seen with Kikyo that morning, but the distance between them hadn't done the girl justice. Peeking out of that short mop of hair was a pair of red fox ears, and a bushy red tail hung to just past her knees. Her eyes were bright purple, and she wore not a speck of makeup, though seemed even more beautiful for the fact. She was dressed from head to foot in red, from her sleeveless shirt to her short skirt to her stockings and sneakers. Her whole aura oozed of mischief and gaiety, and she obviously had no problem voicing her mind.

She gave a very good lecture, along with her live demonstration with a chestnut mare, and not even the boys seemed to have trouble cleaning their mounts once she got done chewing them out a bit, despite the grumbling Kouga was giving about not needing to listen to fox females. She watched each of them with a critical eye, barking orders as needed.

Kagome had been doing well and had even received one of Ryfen's few compliments, but her horse seemed to be getting anxious about something, and Kagome realized it too late. While brushing her horse's tail, she felt a sudden twinge in her shoulders and her arms fell to her sides, useless. She had fast become used to this sort of thing – it was a side effect of her illness and her medications, or so the doctors said – but when her arms dropped, the brush fell from her numb fingers and hit her horse's hock, causing the animal to kick out instinctively. Kagome froze as everything seemed to move in slow motion. Those two hooves with their hard shoes were coming straight at her chest, and she couldn't even lift her arms to protect herself. She didn't even have time to scream, but her eyes snapped shut as the hooves came within inches of her stomach, waiting for impact and hoping that she wouldn't break too many bones.

The impact never came, only a soft whoosh of air, but Kagome toppled into the heavy door of the stall anyway. She opened her eyes timidly to see a pink shield wavering around her, and her horse backed into the far corner of his stall, watching her boredly. She struggled to stand as the field faded, but her arms were still useless and someone chose that moment to open the door she was leaning on, causing her to fall onto her back in the hall and stare up at quite a few worried and confused faces, Kouga and Inuyasha among them. Then Ryfen appeared, shoving the others back and standing over her with a distinctive frown.

"And just what the hell were you thinking!" She all but screeched, causing Kagome to flinch away and wish she could put her hands over her ears. "You could have been killed! You'd better be glad that your sister was there to save you!"

Kagome froze and looked up into the face of her twin, who was now kneeling next to her, her face all worry, but her eyes holding some kind of mocking pride. Kagome shivered and closed her eyes for a moment, then looked back up at Ryfen.

"I…I'm sorry, ma'am. I don't know what happened." She whispered. She closed her eyes again, willing her arms to move. Miraculously, they complied, tingling as if they had been asleep, and she lifted a hand to her eyes. She barely heard Ryfen telling everyone to go finish up and head back to the school, or Hakudoushi wandering over to see what was up and her sister telling him what had happened. It was only until her right hand was taken into some else's that she moved her left hand and looked up into Kouga's worried eyes.

"Come on, Kagome, let's get you out of here." She nodded tiredly and allowed herself to be picked up and carried back towards the school against Kouga's strong chest, fighting back tears the whole way.

* * *

Inuyasha had stayed behind to finish up Kagome's horse, but as he quietly left the stable, he caught a glance of Kikyo striding off towards the little shrine by the forest. Confused, he silently sped along after her, getting ahead of her and taking to the trees to better watch her. But he nearly fell out of the tree at the look of pride and fierce joy on her face, even though her body looked like she'd just run a couple of miles.

As she entered the tiny shrine, Inuyasha jumped down and sped back off towards the school, wondering what the hell was going on between the twins.


	6. Troubled Pasts and Incurable Ills

**Disclaimer**: Nope, most of these guys aren't mine. But I can hope!

Alrighty folks, another short chapter (don't kill me!), but it does give some insight into Kagome's past and her mysterious illness. Kudos to anyone who can figure out where I'm going with this! Anyways, it's short because my family is in town and I don't have much time to write, and this doesn't fit well with the nex part, so combining them would be awfully silly of me.

No reviewers. I am sad

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**Chapter 6 – Troubled Pasts and Incurable Ills**

Inuyasha finally caught up to Kouga as he was laying Kagome down on his bed. Her eyes were closed and her body was shivering uncontrollably. A large tear escaped from the corner of her eye, and she hastily reached up to brush it away.

"I….I'm sorry you two had to see me like this…I truly thought I was better, that this was behind me…" she sniffed tiredly and opened her eyes, staring at the ceiling, "…but I guess I was wrong."

Inuyasha surprised all of them by wordlessly taking her up in his arms and cradling her to his chest. Kouga opened his mouth to protest, but thought better of it and resigned himself to stroking Kagome's left hand.

"Can you…tell us what happened back there?" Kouga asked softly as Inuyasha started up a soft rumbling in his chest that could be likened to a cat's purr. Kagome smiled faintly and burrowed in closer.

"It's the illness that I was telling you about earlier." She began haltingly. "Random muscles in my body would suddenly freeze up and go numb, and I'd have no use of them for hours or even days. I once lost control of my legs for nearly a month." She laughed slightly at the looks on her rescuers' faces before continuing. "The most devastating – which also happened to be my first sign of this illness – was when my heart stopped on the third day of school in my senior year. My mother told me afterwards that I was clinically dead for about three minutes before they brought me back." She shuddered at the memory, smiling again when both boys tighten their grips on her.

Neither Kouga nor Inuyasha really knew what to say to the frail girl. Both had dealt with death before, but never with someone who had come so close to death and had been brought back. Her next words startled them out of their musings; not just the words themselves, but the venom Kagome managed to put behind them.

"Mom also said that Kikyo was the one who saved me. She said she had been whispering prayers under her breath so frantically as they drove up to the hospital, and hadn't stopped until I was alive again. But…" she faltered again, closing her eyes, that horrible time coming back in one fell swoop…

_She was cold and alone, in a very dark room. The harsh stone bit into her bare back as she lay spread-eagled on the rough floor. Patterns and face swirled above her, even darker and more menacing than the terrible blackness that surrounded her. Cold laugher pierced through her ears, and the smell of rot combined with the rank odor of what she believed to be her own blood clung to the inside of her nose. Her limbs felt weighted down, useless and broken. A thick mist wafted in from an unknown location, covering her naked body in a sheen of sweat and damp. She flinched when the voices started._

"_It's useless to try and get away, my dear."_

"_You cannot escape."_

"_You were given to us."_

"_You were the sacrifice."_

"_You have nothing to gain by struggling."_

"_No escape, no escape…"_

"_Your sister…your sister…your TWIN…"_

"_Great things…great things she can do…"_

"_But you must be gone…you must be gone…"_

"_YOU WILL NOT INTERFERE!"_

_A scream tore at her throat, but refused to make itself heard. Her tongue seemed frozen in her mouth, her voice box clamped shut by the dark mist that had settled over her. That voice, that last horrible, angry voice…_

_That voice was Kikyo's._

Kagome shook herself out of her memory and looked up at her rescuers again with a slight grimace.

"…the only thing I can remember from when I was…dead…was high, cold voice saying that my sister was better off without me, that without me, she could do great things. All I had to do was get out of her way and let her learn from the experience. I was…" she swallowed hard, "I was a sacrifice."

"Kagome…you don't have to tell us all this if you don't want to." Kouga said shakily, disturbed by what he was hearing. He patted her hand awkwardly, disliking that it had gone cold and clammy. Inuyasha merely grunted and wrapped his arms tighter around Kagome, resting his head on top of hers. Their presence warmed her to the core, and she squeezed Kouga's fingers.

"Thanks, guys, really. I never told anyone, not even Mom. I was too afraid that it was real. That it was going to happen again, that sooner or later, I would actually die for my sister's benefit. Then my other muscles would lock up randomly, and I was steadily getting weaker. I hardly had any friends to begin with, and those that I did have distanced themselves from me, thinking I would drop dead at any moment and not wanting to get close." She shook her head and buried herself further into Inuyasha's chest, shaking again as the tears began to flow.

"I thought I was better! I thought I could go to school again without being afraid! I thought I could be happy!" She clutched at Inuyasha's shirt as he started rocking her, trying to calm her with that rumble of a purr in his chest again. Kouga watched for a moment, then let Kagome's hand go, not surprised when it automatically joined the other in clenching Inuyasha's shirt. Inuyasha shot a glance over her head to Kouga, motioning to the bathroom, and Kouga caught his drift. He got up and padded into the bathroom, only to return a minute later with a cup of water and a box of tissues. Kagome's wails had burned down to harsh sobs, and she had yet to disentangle herself from Inuyasha. The hanyou sighed and poked Kagome's shoulder gently.

"Hey, Kagome, sit up and have a drink. Can't have you getting dehydrated, can we?" Inuyasha chuckled softly and gave Kagome the best smile he could muster as she raised her head to look at him.

"Yeah…thanks, Kouga." She twisted so she was sitting with her back to Inuyasha while still in his lap and accepted the cup from the wolf prince. She sipped at it as she passed a hand over her eyes, smiling slightly when Kouga sensibly offered the box of tissues. She murmured her thanks again as she dabbed at her eyes and blew her nose, leaning back into Inuyasha and allowing him to rest his hands on her knees.

"I'm sorry I broke down like that on you guys. I know how much you dislike crying." She managed a small smile as Kouga chuckled and Inuyasha keh-ed. She shook her head and stared out the window for a moment before her mind registered what the slowly sinking sun meant. Almost frantic, she glanced around for a clock before settling her gaze on Kouga's alarm clock. 5:50. "Oh crap, guys. We're gonna be late for dinner."

As if on cue, all three stomachs rumbled in varying degrees of frustration at lack of food. They all stared at each other for a moment before bursting into side-splitting laughter. It took a couple of minutes and Kouga rolling off the bed before they calmed down, and by then Kagome was back to her cheerful self.

After a couple of quick touchups in the mirror and running Inuyasha's brush through her hair, the three set down the stairs in their now familiar style, Kagome in the center, flanked by her rescuers.


	7. Classmates

**Disclaimer:** I have no claim to IY, FMA,FF, YYH, or any of those other big name critters. Ryfen, Lynx, and Caligo are mine, and Ezekial is my husband's.

Well, my family's gone back home and I've gone back to work, so I'll try to be posting more often now. This chapter introduces the students and throws in a bit of fun at the end. Enjoy!

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**darkangelprincess24 and Cold Kikyo:** You two rock my socks. Thanks for continuing to read and giving your support. Cookies all around!

**darkpriestressofhell:** YAY! Another supporter! Thanks muchly!

**nEeLLoC:** Hehe, cute is good! Thanks for the support!

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**Chapter Seven – Classmates**

The dining hall was a nearly full when the three arrived, as most of the students and teachers were already in their places. Each bowed and moved down the table, looking for three seats together, Kagome ignoring the stares and whispers directed towards her. They found places near the middle of the table, two on one side and directly across on the other side. Kouga darted around to the other side and took his seat across from Kagome, while Inuyasha sat down next to her.

The hall itself was long and thin, leaving enough room for only the teachers' table along the back wall, and the students' table running lengthwise down the middle. Kagome peered around Inuyasha to look down the table, noting Kikyo in the seat nearest to the teacher's table. She sighed softly and leaned back in her chair, not wanting to draw more attention to herself than necessary. That hope was soon dashed.

Headmaster Naraku stood and smiled widely to the double line of students before him. "Hello again, children. I trust that you all had a good night's rest last night and an enjoyable and educational day today as well." His eyes drifted to Kagome for a moment, and she dropped her gaze to her plate, blushing brightly. "I do so hope that you will enjoy dinner tonight, but there is one thing we must take care of first." He motioned to Kikyo, who stood, looking slightly nervous. "Tonight, you will introduce yourselves. Just first names and ages, please. We're all going to be friends here, after all! We'll go around the table." He nodded to Kikyo before sitting down, fingers steepled in front of his chin.

Kikyo nodded and turned slightly to address the table. "I'm Kikyo, age nineteen." She bowed her head slightly and took her seat, nodding to the boy next to her. He gave her a warm smile and stood.

He was tall and lean, though nowhere near as muscular as Kouga or Inuyasha. His hair was black and kept back in a short tail at the nape of his neck, his bangs left to ruffle over his forehead in a boyish manner. His face was warm and kind, though Kagome noticed his gaze seemed to linger on the girls, and more specifically on the naughtier parts of said ladies. He raised his hands to chest level, palms together, and bowed slightly. "My name is Miroku, and I'm twenty years old. Very pleased to meet you all." He flashed his warm smile again before taking his seat. Kagome noticed that his hand strayed to Kikyo's shoulder, but she froze him with a glare before it wandered too far. He sighed and turned to the girl who had just stood up next to him.

She was small, smaller even than Kagome. She couldn't have been more than five feet tall, and easily under a hundred pounds. Her hair was long and faintly blue, contrasting sharply with her tanned skin and vibrantly purple eyes. Her head remained lowered, a faint blush fanning her cheeks. "S-Shiori is my name. I'm…nineteen." She bowed swiftly and took her seat again, staring at her plate as her blush spread to cover her face. Kagome's heart went out to the girl, though she was glad to note that Miroku didn't try to make any advances at the girl.

The boy next to Shiori stood quickly, and Kagome was amazed to note that he couldn't have been any taller than Shiori had been. Closer inspection of the blond-haired, yellow-eyed boy proved him the one she had been scrunched in next to in the hallway earlier that morning. His braid was still in place, with small clumps falling on either side of his face. His right arm clanked oddly as he brought up in a fist against his chest. "I'm Ed, and I'm twenty years old." His chest was puffed out proudly, but barely-suppressed snickers spread throughout the hall, as though no one could believe that a male entering his twenties could be so short. He huffed and flopped back down in his seat, arms crossed and a distinctly Inuyasha-like pout on his face. Kagome snorted into her fist, trying hard not to laugh and miss the next introduction.

Lynx stood up and bowed respectfully to both ends of the table. Her blue hair was held back under a white bandana, and her green eyes stood out vibrantly against her tanned face. She smiled ever so slightly. "Lynx. Age twenty." Her voice was soft, but held the same amount of power that she had displayed during the horseback lesson that afternoon. She nodded and took her seat again, casting a smile to Kouga as he stood, then glanced over to Kagome, giving her a once over before turning her gaze down the table. Kagome blushed under the scrutiny and barely heard Kouga's proud exclamation of his name and of being twenty. She gave him a bright smile as he sat down, ignoring Inuyasha's snort of laughter at Kouga's puffed chest and inflated ego.

Ryfen was the next to stand, her pink hair still all over the place, and her fox ears twisting around to catch sounds that only she seemed to be able to hear. "I'm Ryfen, and I'm nineteen, not that it should matter to any of you." She grinned somewhat sadistically, but ruined the effect by sticking out her tongue. She waved down the table at someone before plopping down in her chair again, poking and muttering at the boy next to her to hurry up and stand.

He was on the tall side, but had the lean and lanky look of one who was still growing into his body. He glanced shyly up and down the table before Ryfen poked him again, clearly unimpressed with his reluctance. His hair was nearly as bushy as Ryfen's, though his hair was red and his downcast eyes were bright green. He had pointed ears and a fox tail, though it was much shorter and floofier than Ryfen's. Kagome guessed that the two were related. "Um, I'm Shippo, and I'm nineteen. And quit poking me, Ry!" He turned and tried to pin the girl under a glare, but she effectively floored him with one of her own.

"Oh, sit down, Ship-ship, and let the lovely lady on the other side of you go." Ryfen rolled her eyes as Shippo sat down sheepishly. Kagome sent him what she hoped was a comforting smile, but he just shrugged and rested his chin on his hand, staring off into oblivion as the girl next to him stood.

She was of moderate height, though her body had a muscular build to it. Her skin had the healthy glow of someone who was active and out in the sun a lot. Her hair was black and fell to the middle of her back, and her eyes were a deep brown. She bowed deeply. "My name is Sango, and I'm nineteen. Pleased to meet everyone." She bowed again, a faint blush working it's way over her cheeks as she sat down, glancing back down to the other end of the table since they had run out of people on that side.

The girl across from Kikyo had to be poked a couple of times before she stood, grumbling under her breath at the boy next to her. She had much the same coloring as Shippo, though her hair was a more fiery red, and her emerald eyes almost seemed to glow in the light of the candles. Her hair was caught up in two pigtails, which would have looked childish on anyone else, but seemed to suit her perfectly. "My name is Ayame, and I'm twenty." She dipped her head gracefully and sat down, but Kagome caught the slight movement as she twitched her white tail out of the way. She glanced over to Kouga, who nodded slightly at her unspoken question. Ayame was a wolf demon as well.

The boy next to Ayame rose and flipped his long, black braid over his shoulder. He looked a bit shorter than Inuyasha, and he had a purple cross in the middle of his forehead. He regarded the table with a haughty gaze, his dark eyes gleaming with some hidden mischief. "I'm Bankotsu, and I'm nineteen years old. You guys best remember that name." He grinned and sat down again amongst the confused stares of his classmates, flicking his braid again so it lay over the back of his chair. He leaned over and said something to Ayame, who promptly blushed and tried to hit him without incurring the wrath of the teachers or interrupting the introductions. Kagome snickered and let her eyes rove over the next new classmate.

He also seemed on the short side, though his blond hair, part of which stood straight up on his head in a way that reminded her of Vash, certainly gave him a bit of height. The rest of his hair fell in clumps and spikes around his head and face, making him all angles and no curves. His eyes were blue and held an iciness that reminded her of Sesshoumaru's gaze. He stared down the table for a moment before giving a curt nod. "Cloud, age twenty." He sat again and leaned back in his chair, eyes closed and his entire body language showing that he was overly bored with the whole thing.

Next to stand was a boy of moderate build and stature. His short black hair formed a fuzzy halo around his head, errant strands falling in his green eyes. Those eyes were calm and calculating as he seemed to survey the table and its occupants. He smiled softly and bowed from the waist towards the teacher's table before turning and nodding to the students. "My name is Ezekial (pronounced Eh-ze-key-ul), and I'm eighteen. A pleasure, all of you." His smile widened slightly as he sat down, resting his elbows on the table and loosely lacing his fingers together.

The rather buxom girl between Ezekial and Kagome stood and glanced down both ends of the table. Her hair was long and brown, caught near the end in a simple white ribbon. She was reasonably tall, and rather muscular for a girl. She smiled brightly, making her brown eyes light and dance. "I'm Tifa, and I'm twenty. Pleased to meet'cha!" She waved to both ends of the table before carefully moving her hair out of the way and taking her seat again, looking almost expectantly to Kagome. _Here goes nothing…_

Kagome stood and bowed to both ends of the table, trying hard not to make eye contact with her twin. "I'm Kagome, and I'm nineteen." She was relieved that her voice hadn't broken at the scrutinizing stares. A soft whispering started to buzz through the room, and a blush burned its way onto her face. She bowed swiftly again and sat down, eyes on her plate. Obviously, like any other school, rumors spread fast.

Inuyasha had watched quietly as Kagome made her introduction, a low growl starting in his throat as he caught snatches of the whispered conversations. As soon as Kagome sat down again, he stood, glaring down the table with his arms crossed. The growl rose slightly in volume, adding to the one Kouga had begun voicing at the same time. Once the whispers had stopped and all eyes were on Inuyasha, he gave a cocky smirk. "I'm Inuyasha, and I'm twenty. And stop gossiping." He bowed slightly to the teachers' table before sitting again and taking Kagome's hand under the table. She shot him a grateful smile.

After Inuyasha stood a tall fox demon with long silver hair, large fox ears, and a long floofy tail that nearly reached his feet. His eyes were yellow, warm and kind as a crackling fire, and he had a soft smile on his face. He nodded slightly to Inuyasha, who grinned and nodded back, before he turned his gaze down the table, bowing from the waist. "Good evening, all. My name is Kurama, and I'm twenty. A pleasure, I'm sure." His voice was as soft and warm as his eyes, and Kagome found herself instantly drawn to the man. _He'd be a great listener…_

The last to stand was the blonde girl who had been the first to choose her horse earlier that day. Most of her hair was pulled back in a high ponytail, while her long bangs hung down past her chin, framing her face. Her bright blue eyes were dancing as she bowed to the tables. "I'm Winry, and I'm also twenty. I'm glad to meet you all!" She flashed a bright smile and took her seat again.

All eyes turned to the teachers' table as Winry sat down, but a voice from the shadows of the doorway made everyone freeze and turn again to look for the source. "Caligo, aged twenty-three." The voice was soft, almost haunting, matching the girl who stepped into the light of the room.

_She's tall…_ was Kagome's first thought. And in truth, she was, standing right around six feet. But what held the attention of the room was the clear, clean whiteness of her skin and her short mop of hair, which hung in her bright red eyes. She was an albino. What's more, she was an albino neko. A pair of delicate white ears peeked out from her hair, and a long, slim tail fell from her hips to her knees. She dropped into a curtsey at the end of the table, arms extended to hold her non-existent skirt. She rose and, casting a slight smile to the students, turned and silently made her way to the teachers' table to hand a piece of paper to Naraku, who took it and read it over silently. The two spoke for a moment longer before the headmaster gave a slight nod and motioned to one of the servants to fetch another chair and place setting. Caligo smiled again and made her way back down the table to sit at the foot when her chair was brought.

The silence was deafening for a moment or two more, but it was soon broken by the arrival of the platters of food. After a short offering of thanks, everyone dug in, the cool tones and wary looks of neighbors turning into helpful offers of platters and the beginnings of conversations.

Dinner progressed smoothly enough, with only one upset cup of water to mar it. To Kagome, the food was delicious, the company wonderful, and the potential for a nice long sleep was more than inviting, even if she had to share the room with her sister. As dinner was finishing, Naraku stood again and called for attention.

"Well, children, I hope that wonderful meal didn't muddle your minds too much, for I have one last wrench to throw into the works." He paused and gave a small, almost sinister smile. Kagome shivered. "I'm doing a little rearranging of the bedrooms. You all will still be in double rooms, with the exception of one, which will have three to a room." He nodded to Caligo at this, who smiled softly and nodded back.

The silence was thick and oppressing.

"Lady Kagura will read off the list." He paused again for one last wicked grin. "Each pair of roommates will be male/female, and will remain that way for the rest of the year, unless serious problems arise." He nodded to Kagura and took his seat.

Silence.

Followed by mass hysteria.


	8. Of Cats and Dogs

**Disclaimer:** Cali, Ry, and Lynx are mine, Ezekiel is my husband's. Everyone else belongs to all those famous people. Someday...someday...

ALRIGHT FOLKS! Another shortie today. Take what you can get!

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**Kagome113287**: Hehe, thanks! I'll update as soon as I can!

**Silver Rain Drops**: Thanks for reviewing! I'm a little miffed about the lack of reviews as well, but what can you do, right? I really haven't thought about the ages of the teachers yet, but I'll get around to it as soon as I can. And Kikyo WILL get what she deserves. Whether or not she dies hasn't been decided yet. But I'll think about it! Thanks again!

**Cold Kikyo**: Once again, thanks for the review!

**darkangelprincess24**: Hehe, it'll be good, I promise. Just like cats and dogs...:)

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**Chapter Eight – Of Cats and Dogs**

Kagome stood in the shower, body still rigid with shock, letting the rapidly cooling water pour over her. She shook her head and blinked for about the thousandth time, only to return her gaze to the same slightly chipped tile.

_The hysteria had calmed to a dull roar as Lady Kagura began to read off the list. Ironic, that they'd be so confused and upset and afraid, and yet so willing to hear the woman out without much complaint._

_Kagura cleared her throat. "Please keep in mind that we'd like to keep this same room chart for the rest of the year, so only request a room change if there is a serious problem." Her voice was calm and commanding, much like Naraku's, as her bright red eyes shifted amongst the students, quieting them further with her glare. She smiled wanly and began to read._

Kagome closed her eyes and tilted her head up to face the downpour. The list still rang through her mind, as well as the emotional outbursts that followed.

_Sango and Miroku…poor Sango had looked ready to either cry or kill Miroku, or perhaps both. Needless to say, Miroku was pleased. But then, Kagome figured he would have been happy with whichever female he had been placed with._

_Shiori and Shippo…both had the decency to look first surprised, then something close to horrified, before ending up looking shy and sheepish at the same time. Cute couple, Kagome remembered thinking._

_Tifa and Cloud…Tifa had turned a violent shade of red…and Cloud showed no concern one way or the other._

_Ayame and Kouga…Ayame had seemed pleased, but Kouga began ranting and raving as soon as his name had passed from Kagura's lips. This brought an angry and somewhat hurt glare from Ayame before she huffed and looked away pointedly._

_Winry and Edward…Winry had positively leaped from her seat and run down the table to hug Ed from behind. He looked properly mortified._

_Ryfen and Ezekiel…Ryfen had grinned and shot a thumbs-up to Ezekiel, who simply smiled and nodded in return. No problems there, at least._

_Kikyo and Bankotsu…that one had thrown Kagome for a loop. Kikyo had looked Bankotsu up and down with an air of mild disgust before turning to listen to Kagura again. Bankotsu puffed out his already over-puffed chest even more, and Kagome had a distinct urge to stick a pin in his chest to see if it would deflate._

_Lynx and Kurama…another pair that really had no problems with the arrangement. Lynx had relaxed from her tense perch on the edge of her seat, and Kurama had glanced up from swirling his water around in his glass to nod slightly._

_But the silence had fallen again, as Kagura paused for a breath. Kagome could almost hear the gears working in everyone's head, and she closed her eyes as a mortified blush sprang onto her cheeks. Kagome and Inuyasha…_

…_and Caligo._

_He had seemed pleased at first, even giving Kagome's hand a little squeeze, but at the mention of the neko youkai at the end of the table, that comforting little squeeze had turned into a painful deathgrip. She had glanced up only to find him looking back and forth between her and Caligo, a look of complete and utter confusion on his face. Kagome gave his hand a tug, trying to make him release his grip, but it took a few tries and a pained whimper to get him to pay attention._

Kagome opened her eyes and shut off the water, lifting her hands to wring out her hair before wrapping a towel around herself and stepping out of the shower stall. The bathroom was a good bit larger than the one in her old room, but then, it and the bedroom were made to accommodate three people. She wiped the condensation from the mirror before running her brush through her hair, trying to delay her return to the bedroom for as long as possible. She dried off and dressed as slow as she could, then, with a deep breath, she opened the door.

Two ears - one canine, one feline - flicked in her direction, letting her know that she had been noticed. But otherwise, the two figures standing before her were motionless.

Inuyasha and Caligo were engaged in a staring contest, Caligo mirroring Inuyasha's normal annoyed pose. The only difference was the soft smile playing over the neko's features, while the hanyou's scowl remained in place. Kagome sighed and flopped on the nearest bed, which happened to be queen sized.

The staring contest continued for a few more minutes, punctuated by Inuyasha's ears flicking irritably and Caligo's smile growing wider. The tension was nearing a breaking point. _Three…two…one…_

"CUT IT OUT!" the irritated hanyou exploded. "Damn both of you cheaters! I can't very well stare at both of you at the same time!" He threw up his hands in disgust and stalked over to the single bed in the corner and flopped down on it, turning his gaze out the window. Kagome sighed and turned her attention to Caligo, who had watched the whole thing with the same little smile. Kagome was quite well shocked when she got a closer look.

The albino neko before her could only be described as a punk. Multiple piercings adorned her delicate ears, and her right eyebrow also had a simple gold ring through it. She was dressed in a blood red tank top, which showed off a tattoo of an ankh on her left shoulder, and a pair of worn-out black jeans. Spiked bracelets adorned both wrists, and she wore a pair of simple black sandals. And she was now giving a toothy grin, causing Kagome to shiver slightly.

"Well now, hello to you…Kagome, wasn't it?" A small, clawed hand was extended, and Kagome took it carefully. Inuyasha growled slightly from his pouting place, but Caligo stuck her tongue out at him, making Kagome giggle. "I'm Caligo Hebeny, and it looks like we'll be roommates for the rest of the year." She glanced at Inuyasha for a moment, then leaned over to Kagome's ear. "Sentio aliquos togatos contra me conspirare..." she whispered conspiratively before straightening and winking.

Kagome was baffled. "Uh, excuse me?" But Caligo only shook her head and strutted off to the bathroom, humming softly. Once the door was closed behind her, Inuyasha was at her side.

"Oi, what did that furball of a feline say?" He was frowning, arms still crossed over his chest.

"I heard that!" came a sing-song voice from the bathroom, which only served to further darken Inuyasha's scowl.

Kagome simply shrugged and shook her head. "I have no idea what she said, or what it meant for that matter." She shook her head again. "All I can say is it reminded me of Latin or Greek or some other dead language like that." She turned to Inuyasha suddenly and gave him a swift hug.

The look on his face was priceless, and Kagome giggled.

"No more fighting with her, okay? I think she'll be alright." She beamed and rubbed her hands together. "Alright, let's figure out sleeping arrangements."

"I'll take the single bed." He said quickly. "You and that damn feline can sleep together."

"I heard that one, too, mutt." Caligo chuckled as she stepped out of the bathroom. "And unless you want your little girlfriend here covered in claw marks every morning," both were sporting fierce blushes by this point, "then I really shouldn't sleep with her. I've been told I thrash around a lot, and I often have nightmares that leave my pillow in tatters." She had said this all matter-of-factly, leaving Kagome and Inuyasha gaping at her. She gave them a small smile before silently walking over to the single bed in the corner and flopping down on it, curling up into a completely awkward but very comfortable looking position that only a cat can master.

Kagome and Inuyasha were left staring at each other, blushes still intact and getting worse with each passing moment.

The morning dawned bright and chill. Kagome yawned and stretched out in the huge bed before remembering what had happened last night. With a start, she sat up and peered around. Caligo's bed was empty, but neatly made. There was no sign of the neko in the room. Her eyes continued on until they found Inuyasha, and she relaxed slightly.

He sat against the wall under the room's solitary window, the rusty old sword he always seemed to carry wrapped in his arms. His chin rested against his chest, and he was soundly asleep.

Kagome smiled slightly and rolled out of bed, wandering over to him as she rubbed her eyes. She knelt down next to him and poked him gently. "Inuyasha? Come on, you big puppy, time to wake up."

The hanyou simply grumbled and, with a movement she couldn't follow, reached out and grabbed Kagome's arms, pulling her onto his lap and wrapping his arms around her, burying his face in her hair.

Time froze.

Kagome was simply too shocked to react as Inuyasha began nuzzling her head, making nonsense noises in his throat and starting up that doggy purr that he had used to calm her down.

"…smells…good…" came the muffled whisper, and Kagome let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding.

"Inuyasha? Inu, come on…let me up, okay? Breakfast, Inu!" She was getting desperate, but at the mention of food, the hanyou's stomach gave an annoyed rumble. He grumbled and lifted his head to yawn hugely before looking back down at her blearily. It took him a few moments to register what was going on.

His eyes went wide and he practically shoved her off his lap and scooted into the corner, dragging his sword along with him. "I…I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! I didn't…I didn't do anything to you…did I?" His voice had gone from frantic to panicked in a moment, and Kagome fast got over her own indignation about being shoved around.

"No, no, no! You were a perfect gentleman last night. Nothing to be worried about. I just came to wake you up, and…you…you hugged me…" she ducked her head slightly, blushing furiously. "Nothing to worry about." She mumbled.

Inuyasha had wandered back over to her side during her little confession, and lifted her chin to face him.

"If it was…nothing…then why are you blushing?" A soft, sly smile was spreading across his handsome face, and Kagome once again forgot how to breathe. She let her eyes flutter closed, listening to his soft intake and release of breath.

_Oh, gods, he's so close…oh, just give me strength, just this once….please, don't let me get weak now…_ Her eyes opened slightly and she gave a faint smile before leaning forward and kissing a very surprised hanyou.

The kiss was brief, no more than a faint brushing of lips over lips, and once it was done, Kagome stood quickly and strode off to the bathroom, leaving Inuyasha staring dumbfoundedly after her. A soft chuckle sounded from somewhere in the room, and Inuyasha broke out of his reverie to scan the area, growling low in his throat when he found his target.

Caligo sat crouched on the top of an old armoire in the corner of the room, looking down at him with a Cheshire-like grin on her pale face. "She loves you, you know." She purred without breaking her smile. "I'll see what I can do about getting a friend of mine enrolled here so I can get out of you two lovebirds' hair." Grinning all the more at yet another dumbstruck look on the poor hanyou's face, the neko leapt down from the armoire and strode from the room, pausing to wink at Kagome, who had just emerged from the bathroom.

"I'll see you two down in the chapel, hm?"


	9. Combat

**Disclaimer:** Nope, not mine at all. They belong to those big name superstars of anime and manga.

Hi again, folks! I've been working through writer's block, so bear with me. Another bit of a short one, but we're getting into the classes now. Might do a chapter each for the classes, then jump a bit, or I might not! I don't know yet:) Anyways, no one's sent in an idea for my little contest, so I'm considering just calling it off. Oh well, I tried, right?

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**darkpriestressofhell:** Heh, well I hope the wait didn't kill you. Thanks for the review!

**Kagome113287**: Heh, I try. Thanks for posting!

**Silver Rain Drops**: You know, you're probably right. Is there any way I can disable that? And thanks! Cali's my baby, and I'm glad someone else appreciates her! I might have to write a background for her, so you guys can understand why she is the way she is. We'll see!

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**Chapter Nine – Combat**

Sunday had passed without much of a hitch, if you could ignore the way Kouga glowered at Inuyasha at every chance, or the look of enlightenment that said hanyou carried on his face for most of the day. Kagome questioned neither, knowing why Kouga was upset, and having a good idea of Inuyasha's reason for contentment.

Kagome had been thoroughly impressed with Father Wolfwood, and in Lady Kaede's healing ability. Unfortunately, the old miko had no better luck in figuring out what was ailing Kagome than her doctors had.

Luckily, it seemed Caligo wasn't the secret-telling type, so their little event of the morning went blissfully unknown by the student body. That night, Caligo happily let Inuyasha take her bed, and she opted to sleep on the armoire.

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Monday dawned even colder than the previous day, with a high bank of clouds looming in the northern horizon. Inuyasha was actually up before the girls, probably due to the fact that first on their schedule was…

"COMBAT TRAINING! ALLRIGHT!" The hanyou was practically bouncing off the walls, ignoring the mystified stares of Caligo and Kagome. The neko had leaped down from her perch to sit on the bed beside Kagome, both of them still in their nightclothes.

"I'm nervous, actually. I've never really had any combat training." Kagome confessed, staring down at her slightly shaking hands. "But I guess that's what the class is for, huh?" She managed a weak smile.

Caligo simply laughed. "Ah, don't worry about it, babe. I doubt they'd have us fighting each other on the first day. And I have it on good authority that you made a good impression with Master Vash at the opening ball." Cali gave Kagome a wink, giggling when the girl began blushing.

Kagome leaned back against the headboard and watched Inuyasha bounce around, before suddenly remembering something and turning back to the pale neko. "What did you say to me yesterday? Was it in Latin or Greek or something like that?"

Cali frowned for a moment, then broke into a grin. "Ah, you mean 'sentio aliquos togatos contra me conspirare.'" Kagome nodded vigorously, and Cali laughed. "You're right, it's Latin. Literately, it means 'I think some people in togas are conspiring against me', but since there's no word for hakama in Latin, toga was next best thing!" Cali chuckled again at Kagome's confused expression. "I was talking about Inuyasha. You know, I get the feeling that he doesn't like me very much." She said with a pout.

Inuyasha had finally ceased his bouncing while the two girls were talking, and pounced on the bed to growl at Caligo. "Damn right I don't like you, you freakin' furball of a feline!"

"Oh, sit down, Inuyasha. She isn't hurting you or anyone else." Kagome rolled her eyes, but allowed the annoyed hanyou to plop down next to her on the bed. "So, Caligo, have you had any combat training?"

Cali grinned toothily, making Kagome shiver and Inuyasha growl slightly. "Ah yes. I'm actually quite good, if you don't mind me bragging a bit." She flexed her arms, contorting her face into a mock grimace. "But seriously, babe, nothing to worry about. I won't be killing ya in your sleep or anything like that." At that, she leapt over Kagome's head and sauntered into the bathroom. "We'd better get down and get some breakfast, it's gonna be a fun day!" She called over her shoulder.

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The three had descended to breakfast together, Caligo taking Kouga's place on Kagome's other arm. They ate together with Kouga and Ayame, both of which had joined Inuyasha in giving the seemingly oblivious neko icy glares. Kagome festered in her chair, watching the silent and motionless battle the four seemed to be waging with growing disgust. Finally, she snapped and jumped up from her chair, bringing her fists down on the little table.

"Alright guys, that's enough. Caligo hasn't done anything to you, and I am quite frankly ashamed of you!" She practically screeched, earning her the sheepish glances of the two males, and the outright confused expression of Ayame. Caligo remained silent. "I hope she kicks all of your behinds today!" With a huff, she flopped back in her chair, arms over her chest and glowering at the ceiling. Caligo was trying desperately hard not to laugh.

The rest of the meal passed in silence, with each paying attention only to their plates. Kagome was quite proud of herself.

At the bell, the doors to the breakfast hall opened to reveal Masters Vash, Kenshin, and Spike. Kenshin stepped forward and called for silence. Vash gave a little wave. Spike just looked bored.

"All right, everyone, please rise and follow us." Kenshin's voice, though soft, carried through the hall easily, and everyone stood and formed a line. Caligo had rushed forward to stand behind Kurama, and Kagome found herself once again sandwiched between Kouga and Inuyasha. Kenshin led the line out the doors, Spike next to him, but Vash hung back to walk next to Kagome.

"We meet again, Lady Kagome. Are you ready for today?" Vash said with sly smile.

Kagome laughed lightly, and somewhat shakily. "I honestly don't know, Master Vash. I've never really had any combat experience."

Vash chuckled. "Ah, then you're starting fresh. That's good. Actually, I'd recommend the bow to you. Noble weapon, that, and it'd keep you out of the direct line of fire." His grin had dropped, along with his voice, his expression all seriousness.

Kagome gulped and nodded. "Yes, sir. I understand."

The rest of the walk to the large dojo-like building was taken in silence, most just admiring the cool morning or mentally psyching themselves up for what was to come. Inuyasha was fairly bouncing along behind Kagome, and Kouga also seemed to have a spring in his step. Once they entered the imposing building, Master Kenshin had them line up along one wall.

"All right, everyone. All those who have brought their weapons, or at least know what they'd like to try, please step forward and retrieve them." Kenshin said in that quiet but commanding voice of his. Kagome's heart dropped when nearly all of the other students stepped forward to claim their weapons. Some, including Kouga, simply went off to the side to buckle on knuckle gloves or pull out, of all things, flowers and small toys. In the end, the only one's left along the wall were Kagome, Winry, and Shiori. Kikyo, Kagome noted, had claimed the bow she had been using on Saturday.

Vash was the one to step forward this time, after a short conference with Kenshin and Spike. "Winry, Spike would like to speak with you. And now for you two…" Vash turned his gaze on Kagome and Shiori, the former looking mildly apprehensive, the latter looking downright frightened. "Kagome, I stand by what I said before; you'd do well with the bow. Now Shiori, could you tell me what your skills are?" Vash put on a soft smile, obviously trying to comfort the shaking girl.

"…barriers." Was all the girl could say. Vash simply nodded, his smile growing slightly wider.

"All right, my dear. You may go take a seat along the wall. We might train you in something later on, but right now, barriers are very good, very good indeed." As Shiori scampered off, Vash turned to grin at Kagome's confused expression. "Shiori is a bat hanyou, and the bat demons are famous for their barriers. No use getting her all worked up and afraid for no good reason." He shrugged and put an arm around Kagome's shoulders. "Now, let's find you a bow."

It took nearly half an hour before Vash was satisfied with his selection. The bow they'd found for Kagome was light and thin, but very strong, more of a ranger's bow than a long bow. By the time they'd returned to the class, Kenshin and Spike had separated the students out into three groups. Spike's group was sitting down at one edge of the bleachers that lined one wall, and what was obviously Vash's group sat at the other end. Kenshin stood at the edge of the large mat in the center of the room, his group spread out behind him. Kagome quickly took a seat next to Shiori, but it took a moment for her to realize what was going on.

In the center of the mat stood Inuyasha and Caligo, both standing straight and barehanded. Inuyasha's rusty-looking sword sat at his hip, and Caligo had two long, though oddly shaped sheathes at her sides. The silence was thick.

"All right you two. I want this clean. This is only a test of your skills." Kenshin's normally soft voice had taken on a harder edge, and his hand rested on the sword at his hip. "I will not hesitate to break you up if I feel it's going too far. Understood?" Nods from both figures. "Very well. Ready?" He raised his hand. Inuyasha put a hand on his blade and crouched slightly. Caligo crossed her arms to grip both hilts, but stood straight. "Go." Kenshin's hand dropped.

A bright flash. A collective gasp.

Inuyasha's old sword had been replaced by a huge glowing fang of a blade, which now stood pinned between Caligo's twin scimitars. The pale neko had taken a step back, but was giving a huge smile to the hanyou, who was slowly gaining a smirk of his own. They broke apart when Caligo leaped back, Inuyasha following at a sprint. Cali spun, both scimitars' hilts held against her chest, causing a mini whirlwind. Inuyasha had to retreat a few steps to avoid the spinning blades, then broke into a dash again, dropping and sliding to kick at the neko's legs. Caligo leaped at the last moment, but lost her momentum and nearly went down.

"Enough, you two. That's good for today." Kenshin's voice broke through the silence that had descended. Both straightened and bowed, albeit a bit reluctantly, before turning and making their way back to the side. Kenshin gave them both a smile. "All right, for the record, please state the names of your blades."

Inuyasha held up the fang and puffed out his chest. "This is Tetsuaiga, forged from the fang of my father." He set it on his shoulder and grinned up at Kagome, who blushed slightly.

"Adiuro and Praesul. Both family heirlooms, though I don't know how they came to be." Caligo said as she replaced both blades back into their sheathes with practiced grace. Kenshin smiled at both, then motioned to Spike, who motioned to his much smaller group and ambled over to take Kenshin's place.

"Okay, boys and girls. I need Tifa and Kouga to get out there and show off a bit." Spike's voice was, to put it mildly, bored. He stood with his hands in his pockets, his hair just as messy as ever. "You heard what Ken said, keep it clean."

Kouga positively strutted onto the mat, dressed in his school uniform and normal high ponytail. Tifa bounced along – literally – tightening her gloves and pushing her hair out of her face. She was smiling. Kouga was smirking.

"Ready?" Spike lifted his hand a bit half-heartedly, and both combatants took their positions. Spike yawned and let his arm drop. "Ah…GO!"

No flash of light this time, and both combatants seemed content to circle, feeling for a weakness. Silence had fallen once again as the two paced around the mat, each moving to get into a better position. Kouga was the first to strike. He flew at the buxom girl, aiming for her knees, but Tifa dropped into a squat and blocked the kick with her arm. The wolf was surprised, and Tifa took that moment to strike. She rose fast, bringing her fist up to connect with Kouga's chin, throwing him off balance and sending him to the mat. He was up before she could deliver a follow-up to his stomach, and came at her again. They threw punches for awhile, neither really landing anything, before Spike called them back, this time to shouts and cheers. Both were slightly out of breath and grinning. They bowed and went to stand with their group.

Vash stood and waved to get everyone's attention. "If you'll all follow me, we'd also like to give a demonstration." It took a few minutes, but soon everyone was out in the firing range set up behind the dojo. "Ezekial and Sango, please come forward. Everyone else, stand to the sides, but please stay with your groups." Kagome followed Shiori to stand with the rest of their group alongside Spike's group. Kenshin's group lined the other side of the firing range.

Ezekial stepped forward, a briefcase rolling along behind him. He knelt beside it and pulled out a rifle. With practiced air, he lifted the gun and aimed, stifling a yawn. A shot rang out a moment later, followed by three more in quick succession. Ezekial set the gun against his shoulder, smirking ever so slightly. "Master Vash, what say you?"

Vash threw back his head and laughed. "Ah, very good, very good indeed. See everyone? Four perfect bull's-eyes." And so they were. "Sango, let's see if you can one-up Ezekial here."

Sango stepped forward as Ezekial knelt to replace his gun in his briefcase. On her back was a huge boomerang, obviously heavy and strong, though Sango seemed to carry it with ease. "I'd advise everyone to step back!" She yelled, smiling slightly as everyone scrambled away. Lifting the bulky weapon over her head, she gave it a single spin before flinging it out with a cry. "Hiraikotsu!" The boomerang swung out in a wide arc before turning and cutting through the line of targets. She caught it easily as it swung back around to her, taking a step back to break the momentum.

Silence.

Then wild applause.

Kenshin moved forward and again called for silence. "All right, everyone, now that we've had a bit of showing off, I want all those with blades to put them away and get practice sticks." A collective groan from Kenshin's group. "We'll all be practicing separately from now on. Stay with your combat group, and don't interfere with anyone else's training." With that, he bowed and led his group back into the dojo. Spike called together his group and entered the dojo through another door. Soon, the group of long-range fighters were left alone in the cool morning.

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**Adiuro** - oath or promise

**Praesul** - dancer

((Little side note, all Cali's attacks and such will be in Latin. And since I forgot earlier, Caligo is Latin for mist, and Hebeny is Egyptian for black. Just a few fun facts.))


	10. The InBetween Times

**Disclaimer:** You know the drill. 

Sorry about the wait, folks, but between quitting my job, getting back into college, and dealing with writer's block, I've been busy! Here's a (short) little chapter to hold you guys over until I can figure out how I want the next part to go. And I can't believe no one noticed my blatant screwup last chapter! I called Shiori a moth hanyou! She's a bat hanyou! Bah! Anyways, here ya go.

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**Silver Rain Drops:** You are an absolute lifesaver. I'll love you forever now. I hope you don't mind. :) Yeah, had to knock Kouga down a notch or two. I have nothing against him as a person, but he does get a bit annoying at times. And Cali is a kitty, but she's tough. Thanks again!

**Cold Kikyo:** To the point as always. Thanks for reading!

**Frozen Miko:** Cute is good! But of course you realise, Inuyasha didn't sleep in the bed. He's a good little puppy. Yeah, that little tangle was a spur of the moment throw in. It started off with her just yelling at them, but we needed some quality humor, even if it wasn't completely probable. I'll update as quick as I can. Thanks for reading!

**blaise91:** Probably not better, due to their health and strength differences, but it's quite possible that she'll be on par with Kikyo. Thanks for reading!

**darkpriestressofhell:** Thankie kindly, ma'am. Keep reading! ;)

**Yeet:** Heh, you know Vash, king of pure intentions...yeah right. :) Anyways, I'll not ruin anything for you. Hehe. Thanks for reading, and I'll keep ya guessing!

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**Chapter Ten – The In-between Times**

The rest of the weeks passed well, starting each day with combat. Kagome felt her arms growing in strength, and, blessedly, she didn't have another episode with her illness, at least during her archery training.

Master Alphonse, they found out, was actually Ed's younger brother. The entire class had been stupefied by this, since Alphonse was huge in comparison to his older brother. Those questions were answered – and more were asked – when Al removed the helmet of his armor to reveal the emptiness inside. With the help of Ed, Al explained the troubles they went through, and how Al had his soul transmuted into the empty suit of armor through alchemy. Needless to say, the rest of those classes went very well.

Madam Kagura's class had been by far Kagome's favorite, because she, along with all those who brought their own instruments, had been allowed the chance to play them before their classmates. Caligo, unsurprisingly, was very adept at the guitar, though Kagura cut her display short. Many of the boys expressed their interest in the louder instruments, like percussion and brass, but it took a couple of periods to get everyone situated with an instrument. After that, Kagura had begun teaching them ballroom dancing, saying she had been disgusted by the lack of skill at the opening ball.

Master Jet had the kind of voice that you could listen to forever, which came in handy, since he certainly loved to talk. He had begun teaching them chess, stating that it was "the best combat training you can get"! Very few of them agreed with this opinion, but he made them learn anyways. One of Kagome's episodes occurred during Jet's class on Wednesday, rendering her arms useless. She gave over her seat opposite Inuyasha to Caligo, who had been playing Jet, and sat with her head on Inuyasha's shoulder for the rest of the class, giving him pointers every now and then. They actually almost beat her….

Sesshoumaru turned out to be an excellent teacher. Everyone had to pay attention in his class, because there was no room for fun and games. Sesshoumaru was just _that_ intimidating. He taught them of the great demon battles, their outcomes, and what occurred as a result. Rin was often running around the room, grabbing a relic here or a scroll there from Sesshoumaru's vast array of historical nick-knacks. He only spoke as much as was necessary, then set them to reading old scrolls or writing their opinions of the battles he had described for them.

Hakudoushi had begun teaching them tracking and how to outfit their horses with battle armor. Ayame turned out to be the best tracker of them, finding Lynx within half an hour of searching.

Kaede was teaching them the uses of different herbs and how to find them. She often pulled Kagome aside and asked her about her symptoms, hoping to jog Kagome's memory about what had happened before and after some of her more severe episodes. She had even suggested putting the girl into a trance to force her to remember, but so far, Kagome had refused.

The first new moon had given her and Cali quite a scare. They had come in from their free time playing with Sango's twin-tailed fire cat to find a black haired, purple eyed stranger sitting on Inuyasha's bed. Kagome had screamed, but Cali quickly covered her mouth and sniffed the air, breaking into a grin afterwards. Everything was explained about the silver haired hanyou turning human on moonless nights, and they spent most of the night up playing poker. Kagome had won nearly every round.

Time seemed to be flying by for Kagome. Learning and strengthening herself took up all her class time, and her free time was usually spent in the small courtyard in the center of the main building, talking and practicing with Inuyasha, Caligo, and Kouga, while others played with their pets or practiced themselves. Ayame was more often seen with Ryfen and Lynx than she was with Kouga, since said wolf had long ago made clear his want to be around Kagome as much as possible. Many of the other couples had grown closer, though Sango seemed more apt to whack Miroku upside the head with her Hiraikotsu than speak with him, and Kikyo outright ignored Bankotsu's very existence.

And thus, the happiest four months of Kagome's life sailed by.


	11. Behind Closed Doors

**Disclaimer:** One day...one day...

Hi folks! Hope that little chapter last time didn't irk you too much. I had to throw some kind of passage of time in there to get over my writer's block. Hopefully this chapter will make up for it. We introduce a new character today! Kallos is here courtesy of Nebacanezzar, and all copyrights of him belong to Nebbers. Be prepared for a bit more angst, but the plot is definately moving now!

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**Cold Kikyo:** You, my dear, are my most faithful supporter. 

**YuniX-2:** Goodness! Three reviews in one night! I'm honored. :) I think the only real reason why Inu and Kouga don't get along is because of Kagome, so there's no reason why they can't be friendly otherwise. And I play the clarinet too. :) I'm an avid gamer, and the FF series are the best. FF9 was my first, but I've played through most of them. Glad to find another gamer! Caligo is my little pet project. She's been building in character and attitude through different RPs, and with the good reviews she's been getting on here, I'd say I was successful. :) Thanks for reviewing!

**Duzzie:** Thankie kindly, sir or madam! Mysterious was what I was going for. So many questions to answer! Bwahahaha, you'll have to wait:) I hope I'll make it worth your while to read. Thanks again!

**darkangelprincess24:** I was beginning to wonder where you went! Don't worry about it, babe, I know what you're going through. Thanks for sticking with me!

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**Chapter Eleven – Behind Closed Doors**

December had come in with a bang. A huge ice storm the previous night had rendered the grounds useless for their horseback lesson, so the students effectively had the day off.

"Come on, Inu! I'll be out of your hair and your room for the rest of the year, so why can't you come down and meet my friend?" Caligo was practically begging the hanyou.

Inuyasha huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "Keh, what do I care? As if one of you damn furballs wasn't enough, you had to drag another one to the school!" He gave her a scowl from his perch on the twin-sized bed.

The pale neko sighed and shook her head. "And here I thought you'd be glad for more time alone with your little girlfriend." Inuyasha blushed brightly at that, and was secretly thankful that Kagome had gone downstairs earlier with Kouga and Ayame.

But Cali wasn't done yet, and the mischievous little smile spreading across her face was proof. "You like her too, don't you? You know…you two could probably keep this room, but they might need to move the single bed outta here…" Caligo's grin was growing, and so was Inuyasha's blush.

He finally sighed and turned back to the neko. "You're not gonna quit until I go with you, are you?" Cali smiled and shook her head. Inuyasha raised his hands in defeat. "Alright, alright, let's get this over with."

Cali hopped over and gave Inuyasha a quick hug, a habit that said hanyou had fast become tired of. "Thanks babe. I didn't want to resort to using blackmail." She gave him a wink and sauntered out of the room, a still blushing hanyou in her wake.

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Once down in the entrance hall – which was, quite frankly, freezing – they found Kagome, Kouga, and Ayame waiting, the former wrapped up in many layers, the latter two looking quite at home in their natural furs. 

Kagome was quite impressed with the acceptance the canines had come to show their resident feline. Sure, it took a couple of weeks, and more than a couple of beatings during combat training, but they had finally accepted her as one of their little group.

"So, Cali, when's this friend of yours showing up?" Ayame asked, running her fingers through her hair. Kouga and Inuyasha were eyeing each other over Kagome's head, but she had become used to the act and no longer thought much of it.

Cali grinned and hopped from foot to foot. "Any time now…any time now…"

Moments later, the heavy oak doors of the entrance hall flew open, ushering in a blast of freezing air and a rather bedraggled neko. Kouga and Inuyasha ran forward to get the doors closed, while the girls moved to help the newcomer with his bags.

"Thanks guys, it's pretty nasty out there." Came a muffled voice from the confines of the icy coat. Kagome wondered if it would be able to stand on its own once they got it off him.

Once freed from his burdens and unfolded to his full height, he stretched and gave a huge yawn. _Good grief, another tall one…_ Kagome thought. His dark brown hair was short and damp from the sudden temperature change, and his warm blue eyes seemed to hold the same kind of glint that Kenshin's did. His ears were a bit larger than Cali's, and his tail was a bit shorter, though both were the same color as his hair. He grinned slightly at the going over everyone was giving him, and bowed low.

"Thanks again, everyone. The name's Kallos Yagen." He straightened again to nearly be knocked over by Cali and one of her trademark hugs. They held a whispered, hurried conversation for a moment before separating again, though Kallos did give Cali a peck on the cheek.

After introductions were passed around, the two nekos left to give the Headmaster Kallos's letter of introduction, the rest of the group headed for the ballroom, where many of the other students were practicing their instruments, dancing, or just plain goofing off. Kagome sank into a seat near the stained glass window, Ayame following suit. Kouga and Inuyasha flopped down on the floor.

"Well guys, now that we've met them, what do you think?" Kagome asked, stretching.

"Keh, another damn furball, that's all I can say." Inuyasha growled as he folded his arms. Kagome rolled her eyes, clearly unsurprised at the hanyou's annoyance.

"He seems alright, I guess. Not near so strong as me though." Kouga puffed his chest, and Ayame joined Kagome in her eye roll.

"I think he seems sweet, and good-looking to boot," perked up the she-wolf. "Who cares if he's a cat? Not me." She smiled sweetly at Kouga, who was sputtering something incoherently.

"Well, too bad for you, Ayame. It sure looks like Cali and Kallos are an item." Kagome nodded wisely. "Mom always told me never to meddle in the affairs of cats."

"You are certainly right on both counts there, Kags." Kagome jumped at the voice beside her, and looked up at Cali's trademark toothy grin. "Kallos and I are an 'item', as you put it." Here she turned slightly to address the whole group. "And you should _never_ interfere in the ways of cats." Her normal punky demeanor was gone in an instant, replaced by a hard, cold expression and an irritated twitching of her tail. No one spoke again until Cali had left them again, and even then it took a few moments of glancing around the little circle before the silence was broken.

"Keh, what the hell is her problem!" Inuyasha exploded, jumping to his feet and cracking his knuckles. "I knew we shouldn't have trusted her! Now she's got her little boyfriend here to help her, and-"

Inuyasha's rant was cut short when Kagome lightly kissed his cheek, leaving him – and everyone else – to stare at her dumbfoundedly. She smiled slightly and turned back to the two wolves. "You guys stay here. I'm gonna follow her and see what's up." Both guys opened their mouths to protest, but she lifted a hand to silence them. "No, seriously. Out of all of us, I pose the least threat to her and Kallos. Heck, I'm even weak by human standards! Cali won't do anything to me. She's had plenty of chances to kill me off, trust me." She raised her hand again when the protests started again, quelling them with a glare of her own. "I'll be back, so don't worry."

It took quite a bit of convincing, but in the end, Kagome got her way. She wandered down the hallways, pausing to press her ear up against various doors or to peek around corners. It took her the better part of half an hour before she found where they had gone. She pressed herself up against the wall beside the slightly cracked down and listened.

"Kallos, listen to me, he **knows**!" Cali hissed, sounding almost frightened. "He knows why I'm here, and I'm pretty sure he'll figure out why you're here too! We have to be careful, damnit!" Someone had begun pacing, and Kagome guessed it was Kallos from the heavier footfalls.

"I know, I know, but damnit Cali, I couldn't leave you here to deal with him on your own! This is one sick bastard we're dealing with, and who the hell knows who he might kill next!"

Kagome forgot to breathe at that point. There was someone, someone here in this school, that had killed…and would probably kill again? No wonder Cali seemed afraid!

"Please," Caligo's voice again, "please, Kallos, this must be a secret! They must not know! I can't stand to loose you too!" Her voice was breaking, and Kagome had to lift a hand to her mouth to hide her own sob of fear. "Not you too, Kallos…he won't take you from me too."

The only sound coming from the room was the muffled sounds of Cali's tears and Kallos shushing her quietly. Kagome wanted to run, to find anyone to hide behind, to just forget what she heard…but fear of detection kept her still and silent against the wall.

"Cali, I want you to hush and pay attention. He will not take me away from you. I won't let him. I won't let this go on, not after so many years. Enough is enough." Kallos's voice took on a harder edge. "No more sacrifices…"

Kagome's eyes flew open. _Sacrifice…_ She shook her head, whimpering faintly. _No…no, not again…_ But despite her inner pleading, the voices started again.

"_It's useless to try and get away, my dear."_

_No…go away…_

"_You cannot escape."_

_Get up…get up and run…_

"_You were given to us."_

_Given…given away…?_

"_You were the sacrifice."_

_No…no…no sacrifices…_

"_You have nothing to gain by struggling."_

_Get up…get up…_

"_No escape, no escape…"_

_Must escape…must get away…_

"_Your sister…your sister…your TWIN…"_

_Kikyo…sister, why…?_

"_Great things…great things she can do…"_

_What…what can she do…?_

"_But you must be gone…you must be gone…"_

_Why…? Ruuuuuuun…_

"_YOU WILL NOT INTERFERE!"_

Kagome felt herself falling as a scream tore through her lips and the rest of her body clenched up in the familiar, mind numbing pain. She struggled to breathe, strained to move her legs, to run away from this place. She felt her heart stop, her lungs clench. The blackness was closing in, faster than before. With the last of her breath, she screamed Inuyasha's name.

The last thing she saw before the darkness covered her was Kallos bursting through the door, looking startled and angry, and Caligo dropping to her knees at Kagome's side, her eyes still showing the tears that had been streaming down that pale face not a minute before.


	12. For Those We've Loved

**Disclaimer:** You know who's mine, you know who's not. Thank you, have a nice day.

Wow, guys, you're lucky I got my muse back, or I might have left you with that mini-cliffy for a week or two. There is a bit of a song in here, its Spirit Never Dies by Masterplan, and it's a frickin' awesome song, so go listen to it! Today we learn what's going on at The Academy, and a bit more backstory on some characters. Enjoy!

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**Cold Kikyo:** Yes...what does it all mean...hmmm... Well, you're gonna find out. :)

**darkpriestressofhell:** Kagome's having another 'episode', and her whole body has shut down. Will she live? Who knows!...actually, I know. She has to live, or my fic kinda goes down the drain. Lets see what happens!

**Raithya:** ...wow. I am completely in awe of your prediction skills. :) Don't worry, Kagome and Inuyasha can't die, the story's about them! I'm so proud of Cali, she's getting to be such a fan-hog. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

**Silver Rain Drops:** Hehe, yup. Little spies...but who are they after? Hmmm...I suppose we'll see when Kagome wakes up! Hope I didn't keep you waiting too long! ;)

**fullmetal-inugrl8484:** Thankies, babe! I'm keeping up as best I can. Thanks for the review!

**Kagome113287:** Heh, thanks! Here's the fastest I've gotten a chapter out, and I'll try and get another going ASAP. Keep reading!

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**Chapter Twelve – For Those We've Loved**

Kagome came back in stages. The first stage was the pain. The second was the incessant beeping from the heart monitor. The third was the realization that she was strapped down.

The fourth was that someone was singing, oh so softly.

"_So never give up - never give in _

_Rise from the fire if you're gonna win _

_Sing with your soul - soon you'll be old _

_Fight the demons inside you _

_There is no limit to what can be done _

_Climb every mountain with power so strong _

_Dusty roads on the way, leaving the past behind you…"_

Kagome forced her eyes open and blearily glanced around. She was in a completely white room, though the atmosphere and smell told her it wasn't a hospital. Her trek continued until she found the singer. A young, black haired man sat next to her bed, skillfully polishing a rifle. He had stopped singing and was looking at her with his vibrant green eyes, the left one with a faint scar across it.

"Ah, so sleeping beauty rejoins the world." He gave her a slight smile and ducked out of sight for a moment. He sat up again rifle-less and reached over to take her hand.

She wanted to speak to him, but found she couldn't. It took a moment of crossing her eyes and moving her lips around to figure out she had a feeding tube down her throat. She frowned as best she could and turned her gaze back to the boy, who was smiling slightly.

"You've been out for five days, Kagome." Her eyes went wide at this information, and wanted even more desperately to speak. He just chuckled and shook his head.

"Cali and Kallos found you outside the door after you collapsed. I'll let you know now that Kallos is very upset that you were spying on them, but I think Cali made him realize that he has to be even more careful next time, if a 'mere human' could sneak up on them." He sighed and shook his head. When he looked back to her, Kagome was pointing at him with a look of confusion on her face. He chuckled again.

"Ezekial Damo, that's me. Sorry we haven't spoken much, but I've had to keep a low profile." Kagome's confusion continued for a moment more before a look of understanding crossed her face. He nodded slightly. "Yeah, I've been in on it the whole time, almost more than Cali has been. But I suppose that story can wait until you're better."

Kagome sighed and shook her head, lifting her hands to her head and mimicking pointed ears with her fingers. Ezekial frowned slightly, then grinned. "Ah, you want to see the hanyou." Kagome nodded, letting her hands drop back to the bed. "He's outside arguing with Lady Kaede and the others. He's been in here almost non-stop since you blacked out, but I took over so he could go speak to Kaede." He shrugged and stood. "I'll go get him for you, sleeping beauty." He left the room, pulling his briefcase behind him.

Kagome took the chance to glance around her little room again, noting without relish the amount of tubes and monitors she was hooked up to. _Five days, huh? I wonder who saved me this time…_ She reached a hand up to rub at her eyes and was shocked to find a simple silver band around her right thumb. She was still studying it when the door flew open again and a very excited hanyou bounded into the room.

"Kagome! You really are up!" He had reached the bed and seriously seemed ready to pounce on her, but at a wide-eyed look from Kagome, he toned it down to a swift hug before pulling up the chair Ezekial had recently vacated.

After a few minutes of the comfortable silence, Kagome lifted her hand again and pointed to the ring on her thumb. Inuyasha blushed brightly. "Umm…yeah. My mom gave me that before she died. I though it might help bring you back." Kagome smiled and reached over to take his hand.

They remained this way for a good half hour before the door opened to reveal Caligo, Kallos, and Ezekial. Kaede bustled in behind them and went over to check on Kagome.

"Alright, child. Ye are looking much better. Would ye like the tube out?" Kagome nodded slightly, and Kaede smiled. "As ye wish. Inuyasha, please hold her down. This will hurt." Kagome nodded again and closed her eyes as Inuyasha leaned over her to keep her still.

Once the tube was out of her throat, Inuyasha lifted her and slid into bed behind her, settling her into his lap as Kaede gave her a mug of broth. She smiled her thanks and sipped at the warm liquid as Kaede bustled out and closed the door behind her. A soft click told them they were locked in.

"Alright you three, what the hell is going on?" Inuyasha's gruff voice came from behind her, and Kagome snuggled in closer and smiled as his arms tightened around her. She glanced up and caught Cali's shimmering red eyes.

"Cali?" she whispered, her voice raspy and pained, "Cali, who did this person kill?"

Caligo froze and shot a frightened glance to Kallos, then sighed and stared at the floor. "He killed…everyone. Everyone that was important to me. My parents, my baby sister, my best friend, my whole family. Everyone but Kallos." Kallos reached over and took her hand, giving her a slight smile, which she returned through her tears.

"He took my parents as well." Kallos murmured, eyes on Caligo. "He's tried to kill me a few times, because I apparently wasn't good enough for his plans. Something about me just doesn't click well with him, or perhaps it's my choice of mates that has him annoyed." He shook his head and glanced over to Ezekial, whose head was down.

"My parents died trying to kill him," came his soft voice. "Luckily, he hasn't found my little sister. I requested to come here to keep an eye on him and stop him if I could. He accepted me because he believes me to be an idiot." Here he glanced up at Kagome with a wry smile. "I have all the records of his kills right here. Shall I read a few?" Kagome and Inuyasha nodded, dumbfounded. Ezekial just shook his head and pulled a rather large file from his briefcase. "Mr. and Mrs. Lockhart, which are Tifa's parents. Mr. Elric, Ed and Al's father. Their mother died later from 'natural causes', but we can't confirm that." He sighed and flipped forward a few pages. "He was responsible for sending Winry's parents to war. He had Shippo's father killed, then killed the mercenaries." He paused again and glanced up to Inuyasha, forcing a tightlipped smile. "He headed the attack that killed your father, then turned the people of your village against your mother, Inuyasha."

Kagome froze and glanced up as Inuyasha's grip on her tightened painfully. His head was lowered and he was shaking in fury. "So…it was him, wasn't it? I knew I smelled him when I arrived here…" he growled, his eyes flashing red for a moment before relaxing his grip and resting his head against Kagome's shoulder. She glanced back to Ezekial, frightened now that his gaze was lingering on her as well.

Ezekial set down the file and cleared his throat. "Kagome…I honestly don't want to tell you this while you're in this condition. Please don't black out on us again." Kagome nodded slightly, feeling Inuyasha's head raise from her shoulder to eye the boy. "He killed your father, Kagome. He tried to kill your mother while she was pregnant, but something about you and your twin prevented it. So he's left you alone, let her nurture the both of you until he could get his hands on you and Kikyo at the same time." He stopped and spread his hands. "You're both here, under his thumb, as are the rest of us. Now all we can do is wait until we know what he's planning and put a stop to it."

Kagome glanced between the three faces in front of her, her hands clenching Inuyasha's. "B-but, I'm so weak! Why would anyone need me? Heck, I've nearly died twice…"

"Yes, and something has always brought you back." Cali's voice sounded harsh and tired, which scared Kagome even more. "Something powerful and unafraid to deal with death." Then it hit her.

"…we're all under his thumb?" she whispered, her gaze flying back to Ezekial, who sighed and nodded.

"Yes, Kagome. We are all under Headmaster Naraku's thumb."


	13. Allies and Enemies

**Disclaimer:** I have a Sesshy plushie! Does that count? No? Darn... :(

Guys, I have found my muse, and I'm most baffled by it. My muse this time came in the form of beef flavored RAMEN. It's official, I am completely addicted to Inuyasha and everything related to it. I went back and did a little editing to Chapter 10, added a few things that would have come up in four months of living together. This chapter is brought to you by **RAMEN!

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**Silver Rain Drops:** Of course, it had to be Naraku! He's just a good villan like that. Yeah, I had an epiphany the other day, and I can't think of a single anime character who has both of their parents alive and around. So why not use that to my advantage! As for reviewing your story, it was the least I could do after all the reviews you've given me. :)

**Cold Kikyo:** Yes indeedy, what will they do. :)

**darkpriestressofhell:** Hey, I can't help it if Naraku makes a great bad guy! I'll try to update more frequently, but we'll see.

**Raithya:** Well babe, you'll just have to see, won'tcha:P Ezekial came from my husband's imagination, and is an excellent marksman. But we don't know what the rifle can do yet! Sesshy knows about Naraku, and I'm trying to keep him (and everyone else) as in character as I can. Keep reading, and I'll do my best to keep you entertained!

**Estriel:** :scuffs foot bashfully: Aww, shucks. Thankie kindly!

**Ezekial of Narchais:** Yay! Readers and reviewers, this guy here is my wonderful husband. Everyone say hello! ;) Thanks for reviewing, love.

**darkangelprincess24:** Thank you, I have some faith in my storytelling ability again! I was beginning to think I was getting too predictable. :)

**fullmetal-inugrl8484:** No problem, babe! I don't have many reviewers as is, and I love all of my reviewers! hugs Keep reading! And thanks for your suggestions!

**YuniX-2:** You know, I hadn't thought of that...hmmmm... Yeah, I can see a bit of HP in here, but I'm trying to make it as original as I can. Well, good luck on your FFVII game, and keep reading!

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**Chapter Thirteen – Allies and Enemies**

They had spoken long into the night, about how many people had died and why they were at the school. As it turned out, every single student at The Academy had lost one or both parents to Naraku. If you took the killings out of context, there would have been no connection. They ranged from the Inu-taiyoukai to simple ranchers, from spiritual people to faithful alchemists. Their only connection was that they had children that met the requirements of The Academy, whatever those requirements might be.

Kaede had finally come in to shoo Ezekial, Kallos, and Cali off to their rooms. She stayed behind long enough to let Kagome and Inuyasha know that she and many of the other teachers were on their side. After checking on Kagome on last time, she bid them goodnight and left.

After a bit more talking, the two fell asleep in the same position, Inuyasha leaned back against the wall with Kagome cuddled up on his lap. It was the best sleep they'd ever had.

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Thursday morning came with unseasonable warmth, beginning the slow process of melting away the snow and ice from the grounds. After getting the rest of the tubes and needles removed from her skin, Kagome was proclaimed fit to leave the little clinic. They stopped long enough in their room for Kagome to shower and for them both to get changed before heading down to the dojo.

Vash came jogging over as they walked up. "Kagome! How are you feeling?" He caught one of her hands and brought it to his lips, kissing it gently. She blushed at the contact and bowed slightly.

"Feeling much better, thank you. Have I missed much, Master Vash?" Kagome flinched slightly as she straightened, smiling again as Inuyasha tightened his grip on her.

Vash only threw back his head and laughed. "Not at all, my dear. Though I daresay Kenshin would like a word with Inuyasha." He gave a wink to the hanyou, who growled slightly. "At any rate, let's get you inside. There's no need for you to practice until you're feeling up to it, and I doubt Kenshin would mind you watching in on the sword training." Both nodded and followed Vash into the dojo, then paused once inside the door.

Cali was in the center of the mat with her twin scimitars facing down Cloud and his buster sword. Inuyasha grumbled something about missing the fun and gave her a swift kiss on the top of her head before dashing onto the mat, drawing Tetsuaiga as he went. Cali heard him coming and jumped away from Cloud to intercept Inuyasha, laughing as she did. But Ed cut her off, his automail arm transmuted into a blade. He brought it up to block Tetsuaiga, and the two were off into a sparring match of blades and words. Cali laughed again and resumed her fight with Cloud after shouting a greeting to Kagome.

Kagome was startled when Kenshin appeared at her side, but his slight smile calmed her instantly. They watched the sparring pairs in silence for a moment or two before Kenshin spoke.

"Well now, it is good to see you out and about again, that it is." His smile widened at her slight blush. "Come sit down, you still look a bit pale." Kagome nodded and followed him over to the mini-bleachers, taking a seat on the second tier. Kenshin remained standing beside her, his hand on the hilt of his sword. They continued to watch for a good while, Kenshin barking out orders and Kagome occasionally cheering for Caligo or Inuyasha. She kept sneaking glances at the sword master, wondering if he was one of the teachers on their side. The thought had been running through her mind all of last night and this morning, as to who she could trust, and who it would be better to avoid conflict with. Hakudoushi, she was pretty certain, was on Naraku's side, being his son and all. Kaede had only mentioned herself as being their ally, but had hinted at more. She frowned then, mulling over their choices, forgetting that she had been watching Kenshin. She snapped back into reality when he began waving a hand in front of her face.

"Miss Kagome? Miss Kagome, are you alright?" He truly looked worried, and Kagome blushed brightly, shaking her head.

"I'm fine, Master Kenshin. Just thinking about something Madam Kaede told me." She turned back to watch the spars, glancing at Kenshin out of the corner or her eye to gauge his reaction. Kenshin only smiled slightly and also went back to watching the fighting pairs.

They remained in relative silence for the rest of the period. As Kenshin called for the rest of the students to go get cleaned up, Kagome stood and stretched, stifling a yawn. She moved to walk to the door, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her. She glanced to Kenshin, whose smile had disappeared, along with his generally easy-going attitude. She shivered slightly at the coolness in his violet eyes.

"Kagome, you must be more careful now. Vash, Spike, and I are on your side, but you can never be sure of the rest of the staff. We cannot always protect you. There are forces here that we don't know how to battle." His grip tightened ever so slightly, and Kagome gave another involuntary shiver. "Be safe. And watch out for your sister." Kagome opened her mouth to ask what he meant, but the rest of the students chose that moment to leave the shower room. Kenshin shook his head and let his hand drop as everyone came over to see how Kagome was doing, but his eyes held a hint of worry and, deep down, a bit of fear.

_Watch out for my sister, huh?_ Kagome thought as she smiled and repeatedly told everyone she was fine. _If he wanted me to take care of my sister, he would have worded it like that…besides, Kikyo doesn't need my protection. So watch out for Kikyo…be careful of Kikyo…Kikyo is…_

Kagome snapped out of her musings as Kouga came in and plastered himself to her side, sending a growl to anyone who got to close, including Inuyasha. Pretty soon, the two were snarling and cracking their knuckles over her head, both refusing to back down. She sighed and took both boys by the arm and started for the door.

"Come on, guys. You two can fight later, but I would like to enjoy the rest of my first day of freedom for a while." She floored them both with a smile, and their growls died down to an occasional rumble. Kagome chuckled and led the way back to the school, all smiles though her mind was in turmoil at this newest bit of information.

_Kikyo is…Kikyo is my enemy…

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A solitary figure stood at the window of his office, staring down at the school grounds, watching as the students trooped back through the melting snow from their combat training. Training that he had authorized, even prioritized, and his teachers were going to betray him. Going to ruin his plans. Going to turn his army against him. He slammed a fist into the windowsill, cracking it. He remained silent, studying his bloody knuckles as the flesh knit together again. He absently licked the blood away and rested his hands against the sill again.

A woman stood against the wall, tapping a long fan against her chin. Her bright red eyes watched the headmaster calmly, but there was a defiant set to her jaw, and a hard glint to her eyes. She smirked slightly.

"Well well well, Naraku, the girl has escaped death once again. Why are you not happy? I thought you needed her." Kagura pushed off the wall and went to stand next to him by the window, her gaze also lingering on the group of students.

Naraku simply snorted. "Kagura, do not presume you know what I am planning. The girl is getting in the way. Her sister has more power and has already agreed to my terms. This one…" he waved towards the group of students. "…has followers. This one has _friends_. This one has humans and demons that would fight to help her. Some might even die for her. We need as many students alive as we can get away with." He shook his head and put his hands in his pockets. "This one is too much work, for less potential. It would be better had she died, so I wouldn't have to sully my hands." He grunted and turned back into the room, lifting a hand to snap his fingers. A form stepped out of the shadows and bowed low. Naraku smirked.

"Get the girl named Kagome. Get her alone and kill her."

The creature called Muso returned the smirk, bowed again, and left.


	14. Strength in Numbers

**Disclaimer:** I got the third Inuyasha movie! Swords of an Honorable Ruler! What the heck! That sounds nothing like The World Conquering Sword! Bah! Oh yeah, I don't own Inuyasha.

Well guys, I typed out another one just for you in one night. ;) And you better appreciate it, cuz it's now 4:36! I'm tired, so here's the chapter! And I'm sure some of you will recognise Muso. I edited him a bit to make him a bit more gory (cuz gory is good!), and hopefully it works well in the story. Enjoy!

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**Cold Kikyo:** Thank you again! Keep reading!

**darkangelprincess24:** This soon enough for ya babe:)

**Raithya:** You sure do guess a lot! Muso was an incarnation of Naraku in the show, but I've edited him to fit my own purposes. Naraku's all about death, but who does he want to kill? Who knows! (Not me, at least not yet. :grins:)

**april:** Thankie muchly for the review!

**fullmetal-inugrl8484:**Awww, shucks, thankie! And have fun at school!

**YuniX-2:** You know, that's probably the best compliment I've ever gotten. I'm glad I could help. :)

**silver dargon knight:** Consider it updated.

**Hector Rivas:** Thankie kindly, sir! I hope you continue to read!

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**Chapter Fourteen – Strength in Numbers**

The rest of the day had passed easily for Kagome, as most of the teachers allowed her to sit and do nothing. All but Kagura and Sesshoumaru expressed their happiness that she was alive and well. Kagura seemed a little anxious about something, and kept the rest of the class learning a quick tango. Sesshoumaru just didn't appear to care, though Rin did give Kagome a bright smile, which she gladly returned before going back to taking notes.

But the 'happy' times were soon over, and Kagome felt her stomach clenching as they descended the main staircase towards the dining hall. Dinner was generally the only time during the day that any of the students saw the Headmaster, as none of them had yet to do anything terrible enough to warrant being sent to his office.

Inuyasha glanced down at the frail girl shivering at his side and tensed his grip on her arm. She glanced up at him with a nervous smile.

"Hey, don't worry, alright? Me and the others are right here for you." He lightly nudged her head with his own, giving her a smile of his own. And it was the truth. Apart from Kouga, who was blissfully unaware on Kagome's other arm, Cali and Kallos were right ahead of them, and the sound of Ezekiel's briefcase rolling along told them that he and Ryfen were following after them. Kagome smiled and squeezed both boys' hands as they reached the threshold of the dining hall.

"Thanks guys, I'm feeling better already." She whispered as they moved to take their seats.

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Dinner passed in relative silence. A few of the rowdier students had tried to make light-hearted conversation, but the stoic glances from their fellows shut them up. Kagome had been studiously avoiding the Headmaster's gaze, and had taken instead to sneaking small glances down the table at her sister.

Kikyo sat silently, taking small, almost timid bites of her dinner. She often glanced up to the teacher's table, and her gaze ranged from afraid to hurt, from anger to something even more dangerous. Kagome shivered and kept her attention on her own plate after that, afraid of that look of grim acceptance and determination in her sister's eyes. She gave another shiver, stopping only when Inuyasha rested a hand on her leg and leaned over to her.

"What's wrong, Kagome?" he whispered.

"It's Kikyo…dear god, I've never been so afraid of my own sister!" she breathed back, her eyes remaining frozen on her plate. "She…she looks like she could kill!" Her heart was thudding painfully against her chest, and her breath was coming in pants. One glance back down the table was all it took. Kikyo was staring at her, her eyes colder and more emotionless than even Sesshoumaru's. The happy-go-lucky twin of her youth was gone, and Kagome was completely terrified.

Without warning, Kagome jumped up and ran from the hall. Many jumped up to follow, but a loud thump from the teacher's table stopped them in their tracks. All eyes turned to the Headmaster, who had stood and apparently slammed his fists into the table.

"Stay in your seats, all of you." His voice was deathly calm, contrasting heavily with the vivid look in his beady red eyes. "It is too late to stop Miss Kagome from her disrespectful display, but I will not sit here while the rest of my students follow suit!" He slammed his fist into the table again, the vibrations rocking the hall. "Believe me, she will be punished for this little act."

Panicked glances were shot between the members of the little conspiracy, but none of them seemed able to stand and leave, no matter how much they wanted. The whole hall was still and silent as the Headmaster sat again and resumed his dinner. Most of the students followed suit, but the conspiracy found their appetites quite diminished.

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Kagome really had no clue where she was running, only that she had to get away from those lifeless eyes that currently occupied her sister's face. Her legs were screaming at her to stop as fled along the empty corridors of the school, but she only pushed them harder. She ran a hand across her face, wiping away the tears that were threatening to spill out, and nearly ran into a door. She skidded to a halt, panting slightly as she tried the door, gasping at the burst of cold air that assaulted her. _Well, so much for the warm spell…_ Bundling herself as best she could, she trudged out into the melting snow, heading for the relative safety and warmth of the dojo.

Once inside the dojo, she slid the door shut behind her and fumbled for the light switch. The hall was blissfully empty, and Kagome breathed a sigh of relief. This was one of the few places that she felt completely safe, as Kenshin, Vash, and Spike were almost always there. But now, as she wandered over to the bleachers, she realized that without the calming presence of the teachers, the dojo was very empty.

She spent another minute or two on the bleacher before she jumped up and ran to the weapon room. The feeling of being helpless had become unbearable, and she was certain she felt another presence in the building, but couldn't place who it was, or what their intentions were. She closed the door behind her and leaned against it for a moment, eyes ranging over the array of weapons that lined the walls. She briefly considered grabbing Cali's scimitars, but she really had no training with them, and they were rather heavy. With a soft sigh, she picked up her bow and grabbed a quiver of arrows, reveling in the feel of the soft wood on her fingers.

Soft footfalls sounded outside the door, and Kagome spun, notching an arrow and pulling back the string to her cheek. The feet paused, and soft, raspy breathing sounded through the air. She backed up against the wall, arms beginning to shake from the strain of holding the string. The door began to slide open, the wood scratching softly against the frame. The light hit the figure across from her, and she nearly dropped her bow, stifling a scream.

The man across from her had no face, only a empty, bloody hole where his mouth should have been, that was currently giving her a twisted grin.

"Kagome…." The hole moved as a mouth would, her name coming out a distorted whisper. "Kagome…you must die…"

The pain was filling her chest again, constricting around her lungs. Her arms began tingling with the familiar numbness, and her fingers released the arrow, but it fell far from its target, clattering uselessly to the ground. The bow fell from her hands as she sank backwards, landing hard on the ground and skittering backwards as best she could. The creature was advancing on her slowly, its mouth gaping and seeming to suck the warmth from the air. Kagome had backed herself into a corner, and was silently begging her arms to work again. But the numbness was working its way through her body swiftly. She simply closed her eyes and waited for the voices and the all consuming blackness.

But this time was different. She opened her eyes again to find the creature standing over her, that same wicked grin on his face. But her gaze traveled beyond him to the cloaked figure who was chanting quietly by the doorway. A soft pink light surrounded the figure, a light that was so familiar, and somehow so painful in its familiarity. But the creature's hands closed over her shoulders at that moment, and she was lifted painfully to dangle, her face inches from her attacker's.

"Kagome…give me your face…"

With one last burst of energy, Kagome screamed.

"IRON REAVER SOUL STEALER!" Came an answering bellow. The creature gave a blood-curdling cry and dropped her to face his attacker. Kagome turned her gaze to see Inuyasha, Cali, and Kouga all down in battle stances, with Ezekiel and Ryfen behind them, both leveling their weapons at the creature. The robed figure was nowhere to be seen.

Inuyasha and Kouga dashed again at the creature as a shot rang out from Ezekiel's rifle, followed quickly by the thump of an arrow from Ryfen's crossbow. Cali skirted around the battle and dropped into a crouch beside Kagome.

"Hey girly, sorry we didn't make it here sooner." She tried to smile, but her eyes held a good measure of fear and pain. "Kallos stayed behind to hopefully distract Naraku." She easily lifted the motionless girl and set her back in the corner with her bow and arrows. "Stay put, and stay alive. Help when you can." With that, she grabbed her scimitars and rushed to join the fray.

Kagome simply sat and watched in wonder as her friends fought for her. Inuyasha had finally drawn his sword, and Kouga had found some time to strap on a set of metal claws. The blades were ripping through the creature, but every wound seemed to close itself up again within seconds. She struggled to move her body, to help her friends, and was glad to find that the numbness was slowly fading from her. But how long did she have to wait?

The fight continued on for a few more minutes before the creature became fed up with the cramped spaces and shoved his way out into the open fighting area. The others followed, leaving Kagome alone in the weapon room.

She cringed at every yell, at every shot, at every blade hitting flesh as she fought to control her aching limbs. She had finally managed to crawl a couple of feet when she was suddenly hoisted up by her arm. She glanced over to her side and instantly relaxed, finding Spike wrapping an arm around her back and supporting her against him. He noticed the look and gave her a wry grin.

"Well, good to see you haven't died on us again. Come on, we're missing all the action." With that, he half-supported, half-carried her into the main hall, where her eyes widened at the scene before her.

Vash and Kenshin had taken over the fight, allowing their students a much needed break. Gone were both teachers' normal happy-go-lucky attitudes, replaced stony faces and quick moves. Kenshin was fairly bouncing from one side to the other, his oddly crafted blade slashing and cutting everything he could. Vash was aiming mostly for the upper torso and head region, but seemed to be avoiding any life-threatening areas. Kagome came back to herself as Spike gave her a little shake.

"Hey, Kagome, you think you can stand on your own? I need to get in there and help them." He leaned down to allow her to try her own feet, which she was thankful to find would support her weight. He shot her another grin and ran forward just as the students rejoined the battle, leaving Kagome standing alone with her bow in hand.

_This isn't working…_ She thought to herself after a good ten minutes. _They're not getting anywhere with this thing! I have to help…but how?_

Her mind was plunged into a memory of, of all people, Lady Kaede. She had been teaching them of the powers of the sacred arrow that mikos of the past had used when battling demons. _'They put a bit of themselves into the arrow, granting it the power of purification.' _She had told them, though her eyes had strayed to Kagome.

_She was telling me…but why me? I'm no miko, no great priestess. How could I do such a thing?_

Her thoughts were cut short as Inuyasha went flying from an attack by the creature. Her pain was fast turning into anger, and she drew an arrow and notched it, pulling it back to her cheek. _Please work, you must work!_

A strange sort of calm flooded through her, and it carried with it an enormous amount of power. She _felt_ strong, which was something she wasn't used to.

_Trust in me…trust in me and save your friends…_ Kagome gasped at the quiet voice in her mind, but she nodded to herself. The power rushed through her.

"Everyone! Attack it together, then get back!" A voice with much more authority than her own rang through her lips, and the others heeded without question. One right after the other, they shot and cut into the creature, until it was falling apart at the seams.

_Now, Kagome!_

"GO!" The others jumped back as she released the arrow, watching in awe as it became engulfed in a pale purple light. It hit the creature in the center of its gaping mouth, and the light began diffusing through the creature. With a final gurgling cry, it disappeared in a flash of light, leaving only a small pile of dust.

Kagome felt herself falling again, but this time she was caught by Inuyasha. As he laid her down, she smiled up at him. "We did it, didn't we?"

Inuyasha smiled faintly and nodded. "Yeah, Kagome, we did do it."

Kagome smiled once more before darkness closed in. But this time, only one soft, female voice spoke to her. The same voice that had urged her on before.

_Well done, Kagome. Well done._


	15. Sweet Dreams

**Disclaimer: **Sesshy is mine! All mine! BWAHAHAHAHAHA! No, really, I kid.

Okay guys, this chapter is the result of a mixture of beef flavored ramen, chocolate milk, and it being 4 am. Yay for randomness! This chapter entirely takes place within Kagome's mind, and (hopefully) clears up a lot about why Naraku wants her dead. And don't be hentai, folks!

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**Cold Kikyo:** Once again, thanks for reading and reviewing!

**april:** Thankie kindly!

**Raithya:** Yup, Kagome's a miko. Muso was an incarnation Naraku made that was supposed to detach him from Onigumo's heart. He actually went around stealing faces until he found one he liked, since he originally didn't have one of his own. I can't remember what episode he was in originally. I'm sure you'll have many more things to guess about after this one! ;)

**darkpriestressofhell:** :cheers: Yay Kags! Hope I didn't keep you waiting too long!

**moonlight-freedom:** Eh, never was a big fan on Sailor Moon, but I'll keep it in mind. Thanks for reading!

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**Chapter Fifteen – Sweet Dreams**

_Kagome…Kagome, open your eyes…_

Kagome grunted and stretched an arm up to shade her eyes from the bright sun, smiling slightly at the warmth spreading over her body. _Sun? Warm? Wait a minute…_

Kagome sat up quickly, her eyes flashing open. Flowers of every shape and color surrounded her spreading out across the slight incline that she sat on. A soft breeze danced across her naked body…wait, _naked?_

A bright laugh rang out from beside her as Kagome hastened to cover herself. She spun around to come face to face with a regal lady, dressed in priestess garb with feudal era armor over it. Her hair was down, and her eyes were kind and full of laughter. She chuckled again at the blush that had sprung up on Kagome's face.

"Ah, don't worry, my dear. It's not like you're naked in the real world." She turned her gaze to look out over the terrain, the smile on her face wavering ever so slightly. Kagome forgot her embarrassment for the moment.

"Who…who are you? And what do you mean 'in the real world'? Where are we? And why am I naked?"

The lady laughed again. "Ah, ever the questioning sort." She turned and bowed slightly. "I am, or at least I was, Midoriko. And right now, we are in your mind, so essentially, you are in a trance, or perhaps dreaming. And you are naked because that is your purest form." She straightened again and returned her gaze to the scenery. Kagome opened her mouth to speak, but at a slight shake of the head from Midoriko, she also went to gazing about the scenery of her mind.

It was beautiful on the surface; calm and lush and green. But as Kagome looked harder, she noticed the faint graying that was spreading along the horizon. Out there, the land seemed hard and cold and covered in a mist. She frowned and turned again to the priestess beside her, who nodded with a tight smile.

"Ah, you do see it then. That blight is slowly creeping along your mindscape. It may seem small now, but believe me; it has grown quite a bit in the past year." She sighed and shook her head. "Kagome, you must know by now that some one wants you out of the picture, so to speak." She waved her hand, encompassing the beauty and the terror all at once. "The blight wasn't there through your childhood. It only began as a single dead, decaying tree, and that appeared the day of your first attack." She turned to face Kagome completely, smiling slightly when Kagome did the same.

"That tree has been growing with each and every attack on your body, its roots spreading out and decaying whatever it touches. These last two attacks have nearly doubled its range."

"But…but what does it mean? Am I wasting away too? Am I going to die soon?" Kagome was marveled to find that her voice was calm and even, though the sky began to darken slightly.

Midoriko sighed. "Kagome…if these attacks continue, if that blight continues to spread…then yes, you will die." She sighed softly at the look on Kagome's face, and reached out a hand to touch the girl's cheek. "It can be prevented, but the price will be high."

"I don't care. Tell me what I must do, Midoriko." Kagome reached up and grasped the lady's hand in both of hers. The priestess looked surprised for a moment, then smiled and pulled Kagome to her feet.

"Come with me then. I'll tell you more along the way." They began walking up the gentle slope, each lost in their thoughts, so to speak.

Midoriko was the first to speak. "Kagome, have you heard the legend of the Shikon no Tama?"

Kagome glanced over at her companion. "No, I don't think I have. Why?"

"The Shikon no Tama, the Jewel of Four Souls. It was created when a powerful priestess was overcome by a horde of demons, and in her dying breath, the Jewel burst from her body and she and the demons were petrified. But the war rages on inside this Jewel. It can give humans and demons immense power. But it is very susceptible to the true nature of the heart of the person who possesses it." She sighed and was silent for a while.

"Okay, so it's a jewel that can grant wishes. Why are you telling me this?" Kagome frowned slightly. Midoriko only chuckled.

"Well, Kagome. If the Jewel is used for a selfish or evil wish, it becomes tainted and flawed," she nodded over her shoulder to the blighted area, "much like these attacks are doing to your soul. But if it is used for a good and pure wish, the Jewel can be purified, thus making it completely useless to those who would seek its power." Midoriko halted both her speech and her gait, and Kagome turned to look.

Before her was a large stone circle embedded into the ground, with a stone dais erected in the center. The tablet was covered in carvings and runes, though Kagome couldn't figure out what they meant. Midoriko noted her companion's annoyance and began pointing out the more important parts.

"Right here in front of us is Aramitama, which means courage. Clockwise, it goes Nigimitama, which means friendship, then Kushimitama, which means wisdom, and Sakimitama, which means love. These are the four 'souls' that make up the Shikon no Tama. The rest of the carvings aren't important right now." She stepped onto the slightly raised stone and reached out for Kagome's hand. "Shall we?"

Kagome nodded and took the proffered hand, stepping up onto the cool stone and following the priestess to the dais in the center. It was slightly concave, like a bowl, and in the center was a glowing pink ball.

"Behold, my dear, the Shikon no Tama, which burst from my body so many, many years ago." Kagome looked up to her guide, startled.

"You mean, you were that powerful priestess?" Midoriko simply smiled. "But…why? Why is the Jewel here? Why are you here? Why do people want me dead? Why…"

Midoriko lifted a hand to cut off the stream of questions, and Kagome obediently fell silent.

"Yes, Kagome, I was, and potentially still am, a very powerful miko. The Jewel is here because you are its protector. I am here because I am part of the Jewel. And people want you dead because of the potential you have." At the dumbstruck look on Kagome's face, Midoriko only sighed and turned back to the symbols carved into the stone.

"I am Kushimitama, wisdom. I am here to teach you about the Jewel and the way to protect your life. Your mother is Sakimitama, love. She nurtured you and your sister through many hard times and her love protects you to some degree. Your sister is Aramitama, courage. I'm sure you know by now that Kikyo at least appears to fear nothing. And you, my child, are Nigimitama, friendship. Your friends make you strong, and they give you something to fight for."

"So…I have these four souls…inside me?" Kagome was completely baffled.

"In a sense, yes. I am completely here, as are you. With your mother and twin, it is a bit different, since they are both still alive. Your mother was supposed to be an incarnation of me, but before she had a chance to unleash her full potential, she became pregnant with you and Kikyo. Thus, she was protector of the Jewel for a while, and a bit of her soul remained embedded in it." She paused so that bit of information could sink in, then continued. "From there, it passed on to Kikyo briefly, but some outside force intervened, and the Jewel came into your possession instead. Do you know what I speak of?"

Kagome wracked her memory for a moment before nodding. "I think so. Ezekiel said something about Naraku wanting to kill my mother while she was pregnant, but he failed. Was that because of the Jewel?"

Midoriko nodded thoughtfully. "I suppose that could do it. At any rate, you were chosen over Kikyo to be the Jewel's protector, but since it did spend a bit of time in your sister's care, it brought a bit of her soul along too."

Kagome nodded. "Alright then…but how is this thing going to help me from dying?"

"Well you're not very easily sidetracked, are you?" The priestess chuckled, shaking her head. "One way is to simply have it removed from your body and give it to those who seek your life, but I don't recommend that course of action. The better way would be to remove the Jewel and make a pure and unselfish wish upon it, rendering it purified and useless."

"Okay…so how do I remove it? Where is it?"

"Right now, child, it is held within your body, right about here, I believe." Midoriko reached over and touched Kagome's left side, just below the ribs. "I will warn you, though. Since all these attacks have been made on you, and not on your sister, there is a good chance that whoever wants the Jewel is not aware that you house it. Right now, blunt as it may be, killing your sister and your mother would give the Jewel the full power of all four of its souls, and would grant you immense spiritual strength. _You must be careful!_"

Kagome nodded, her hand straying to her left side as she stared at the little pink ball in the bowl. "But what if I were killed, what then? Would Kikyo become protector of the Jewel?"

Midoriko shook her head. "No, child. The Jewel rejected her. It rejects her still. The other three souls keep you from death during these attacks on your body, simply because the Jewel does not wish to be returned to Kikyo."

Kagome froze. "But then…you mean…"

Midoriko sighed, her face suddenly hard and bitter. "I'm sorry, Kagome. I wish it weren't true. Kikyo is the reason behind these attacks. Kikyo has found a way to force your muscles to shut down directly. The first time was an accident, but she quickly got over her fear of this new power of hers." The priestess turned to gaze out at the terrain again. "She is the reason for the blight. Kagome…the moment that blight touches this stone, you will die, and there will be nothing you or I or anyone else can do about it. You must stop her, and her master, for all of our sakes."

Midoriko turned to face her again, but Kagome noticed that she and the surrounding terrain had begun fading together.

"You should be waking up now, Kagome. Your friends will worry." Midoriko lifted a hand to wave.

"Wait! In my dreams, when I 'die'…" she pointed out towards the slowly growing darkness. Midoriko nodded grimly.

"Yes, when you 'die', you are in the blight."

The colors and sounds ran together swiftly then, swirling into a bright white before crashing into darkness.

And it was then that Kagome woke up, not ten minutes after collapsing on the dojo floor.

_Great, how am I gonna explain this one?_


	16. So Many Questions

**Disclaimer: **I can't own Inuyasha...I'd never let him out of the house.

DON'T KILL ME! -hides- Well, guys, I am completely and utterly sorry that I've taken this much time to do a short chapter. Things have been hectic in life, and an absolutely horrible bout of a lack of ideas. Yeah. So, here's this, and I hope I'll get back to posting regularly soon.

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**Raithya:** Goodness, girly. That's quite a review. Let's see what I can clear up. Kagome's purest form is naked because they were in her mindscape. Midoriko died and created the Shikon Jewel in her battle armor, so that's how she was imprinted on the Jewel. It all made sense to me, I swear! Right now, there is no clear way to cleanse Kagome's soul without removing what's causing it. There might be later though. And that second paragraph...I just can't bring myself to answer. You'll just have to see! Thanks for my longest review!

**darkpriestressofhell:** Thankies, and keep reading!

**Cold Kikyo:** Yep, Kikyo needs to be stopped. Let's hope they can do it!

**vi3tdream27:** I shall take that as a compliment. Thanks muchly!

**Mystic Arrow:** Kikyo has her reasons. Let's see what they are!

**YuniX-2:** I had a flash of the dementors too. But who is the mysterious chanting figure? Anyone have any guesses? And I honestly couldn't think of anything else to call them that wouldn't have been long and obnoxious to type out (like all their names). So they'll most likely stay 'the conspirators', at least until I figure what else to call them. :)

**fullmetal-inugrl8484:** Well, my dear, I'm not quite sure what to say to that. Stay safe, okay?

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**Chapter Sixteen – So Many Questions…**

Kagome glanced around the little gathering, having just finished telling them of her dream. She had flat out refused to move from her sitting position on the dojo floor, even as the others moved to stand against the walls or sit on the bleachers. She did allow Inuyasha to sit beside her and hold her hand, though Kouga hovered nearby. She had told the whole thing without any breaks, and now a tense silence hung over the dojo as everyone contemplated the dream.

"So…this jewel…is inside you?" Kouga asked, obviously confused by the whole thing. "Where at?"

Kagome closed her eyes for a moment, remembering back and focusing. A soft warmth began spreading through her body, and she placed a hand on its source, left side, just below the ribs.

"Right here. Midoriko said that's where it is, and that's where I can feel it." She smiled slightly and opened her eyes again, glancing among her fellows. "She said removing it and making a pure and unselfish wish on it would make it useless to whoever's after it, but they apparently don't know that I'm the one who has it." She turned her gaze to the floor then, fighting back the tears of pain and betrayal that were threatening to spill out.

"Kagome," she glanced up to find Vash kneeling down in front of her, "did Midoriko say how to get it out?"

She ran a hand over her eyes and shook her head. "No, she didn't. But I imagine the only way would be to cut me open and go digging around for it." She attempted a smile at this, but failed miserably. She of all people knew how weak her body was, and from the looks on everyone else's faces, they were thinking the same thing. She would likely not survive such an operation.

A sudden warmth and a flash of red surrounded her, shocking her momentarily. She craned her neck around to look up at Inuyasha, who gave her a smile from his position behind her.

"We'll find a way, Kagome. Can't have you dying on us, can we?"

"No, indeed we can't." This time it was Ezekiel, who gave her a wink from his sitting position on the bleachers.

"Nope, that wouldn't do at all." This time it was Caligo, who was perched on a stack of mats with her trademark grin in place.

"We'll fight for you, Kagome." Kouga was at her side again, clasping her hand between his.

"Enough moping! Let's get out there and kick some major butt!" Ryfen yelled from the top of the bleachers, her fingers up in a peace sign.

The teachers simply chuckled and shook their heads.

"Caligo, your friend is in trouble."

All heads turned to the dojo door, Ryfen nearly falling off the bleachers in the process. Just inside the doorway stood a young girl, perhaps seven or eight. She was dressed completely in white, matching the hair that framed her face. Her eyes were deep, dark, near black, if not actually black, and her feet were bare. But the aura the girl gave off set everyone shivering. She seemed made of nothingness, a void that had taken on the shape of a human. She cocked her head slightly, never blinking, and spoke again in her whisper of a voice.

"Caligo Kiya Hebeny, your friend is in trouble."

As one, their gazes turned to lock on the albino neko, who was staring at the girl with a puzzled look on her face.

"What do you mean? Kagome is fine now…"

The white girl simply shook her head. "That is not who I speak of." And with that, she simply faded away.

"But…who else…" Cali's eyes suddenly widened and she took off through the door, heading back towards the school. "No…not him too…not Kallos…"

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They found her later in the clinic, hunched over the bed that held a very beat and very unconscious Kallos. They hadn't stayed long, taking only enough time to give their support to Cali before scattering back to their rooms for the night. Inuyasha and Kagome had stayed behind though, and while Inuyasha kept Cali company, Kagome told Lady Kaede about her dream and the warnings she had received.

Kaede was not surprised. "Aye, child, I have sensed a great amount of power from ye, and unfortunately, from your sister as well." She sighed and settled herself into a chair before the tiny fireplace that lit the room. "However, I am as at a loss as ye on how to remove the Jewel. I doubt ye are up to having an operation."

Kagome shook her head slightly, eyes on the ground. Her last hopeful source of information didn't know any more that herself. But she shoved this into the back of her mind, placed a concerned frown upon her face, and looked back to Kaede.

"What happened to Kallos? He's a full demon, so it should have taken a lot to put him in this state."

Kaede shook her head, her eyes on the fire. "He has been poisoned. Every single wound he contracted refuses to close. I don't know how much more I can do for him." She leaned back with a sigh. "'Twould help if I knew what he fought…but he's been unconscious the whole time."

Kagome froze at this, remembering Cali's words.

"_Kallos stayed behind to hopefully distract Naraku."_

"Kaede…I think it was the Headmaster."

The old miko turned to her sharply, her only eye widening slightly. "The Headmaster has never told me what kind of demon he is…or actually, what kind of _hanyou_ he is."

Kagome nearly fell over. "Hanyou? _He's_ a hanyou? But…how?"

Kaede shrugged her heavy shoulders. "I know not, child, simply that that is what he is. But be ye warned, don't let this lead ye to believe that fighting him will be any easier. Crafty one, him."


	17. To Live is to Die

**Disclaimer:** I don't even own my muse! She's rented! -cries-

Hello again folks! My muse is back from her convention in Greece, and she brought a whole bunch of ideas with her! Please enjoy, even though it is a bit short. I'm getting there, I'm getting there...

**_We are straight in the path of Hurricane Wilma, so I'm not sure when I'll be updating again. Keep your fingers crossed for me!_**

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**YuniX-2:** I love cliffhangers! I will take that as a compliment. :) 

**inu'sdarkangel89:**Still, keep yourself safe, and I'll try to keep you entertained!

**darkangelprincess24:** Yeah, they kissed once. It was short and sweet.

**Raithya:** Yoda! You seek Yoda! Yeah, okay, maybe I am combining too many things here, but damnit, I'm having fun doing it. Heh, Kallos's creator is also begging me to keep him alive, but I haven't decided yet. I'm sure he'd love to know that someone else is cheering for him. :) Ryfen is the fox demon who's rooming with Ezekiel. She's one of my OCs. We'll see about getting some more Sesshy action in here, but it really doesn't seem like something Inu would think of on his own. Thanks again for reading!

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**Chapter Seventeen – To Live is to Die**

Night had closed in some hours ago, and Caligo again felt herself drifting off into dreams. Kagome and Inuyasha had gone back to their room after speaking with Kaede, and Cali had been left alone with Kallos for the night, though the old miko was just a room away. She shook her head and stood, arching her back and rising to her toes to stretch in a very catlike way. Yawning, she turned and strode over to the only window, sitting on the windowsill and staring down at the surrounding grounds.

The full moon was out, and the sky was clear, giving the trees she gazed upon a sharp contrast to each other. The little shrine stood a bit to the left, its time aged appearance suddenly more noticeable. Cali blinked and rubbed at her eyes before staring back out into the night. Everything was somehow too clear, too real, and she pinched herself to be certain she wasn't actually dreaming.

A figure moved slowly along the lawn below her, her steps almost exaggerated. Her shoulders were rigid and her head high, long black hair laying flat against the traditional miko outfit she wore. Cali slowly slid down the windowsill and knelt on the floor, crimson eyes wide as she recognized the figure to be Kikyo.

Kikyo stopped in front of the shrine and glanced around, obviously waiting on something. She didn't have to wait long however, before Kagura appeared, with the girl in white from earlier. Kikyo turned toward them fully as the girl stepped forward and held up something round the reflected the moon's light. Cali eased open the window and dropped below the windowsill, her ears trained on the three outside.

"Can we get this over with soon? I'd like to sleep sometime tonight." Cali smirked slightly, guessing the tapping she heard to be the fan that Kagura always carried, further confirming the voice and the agitation that it carried. The dance teacher was clearly annoyed.

"Look into my mirror, Kikyo." The soft voice of the white girl sent shivers down her spine, along with the unpleasant memory of that afternoon. Cali leaned up again, peering down at the little gathering, but she soon clapped a hand over her mouth and dropped out of sight again. Another voice had filled the air, and it didn't belong to any of the women present.

"You have failed me again, Kikyo." The Headmaster's voice filtered through the mirror, sounding grainy and distant, but losing none of its commanding quality. "Your sister should be long dead by now, and the Jewel should be in our possession. Remember, Kikyo, your mother's life hangs on your decision. Choose well, my dear, or you'll lose them both." His voice had taken on an icy tone, and Cali had to fight to keep her emotions in check. Jumping down there and kicking butt would only show the Headmaster that she had been listening, and running away might cost her a vital piece of information. She clapped her hands over her mouth and bit back tears as she strained again to listen.

"You promised that no others would be harmed, Naraku." Kikyo's voice was hard and clipped but held an undertone of fear. "While I honestly don't care what happens to the cat demon, you did promise."

"You have not yet fulfilled your end of the bargain, and you are certainly not in any place to order me around, _Kikyo_. You have taken much too long to complete such a simple task. There will be more casualties before this is over, and you would do well to remember that."

The silence was thick after that statement, and Cali turned frightened eyes to Kallos's prone from. _Casualties?_ She shook her head, fighting back the fear that arose from those words. Sure, his wounds weren't closing, but his heart monitor was steady and his chest was rising and falling gently with each breath. He'd be fine…right? Voices from outside caught her attention again.

"Very well, Naraku. Kagome…she won't be a bother much longer." Kikyo's voice was hard and emotionless. "Give me a little more time and she'll be out of your hair forever…and I will have more control over the Jewel." She faltered slightly near the end, and Cali's eyes widened further. _Did she know then? Did she realize that she didn't possess the Jewel, and was somehow trying to protect Kagome? Or was she just unsure of herself and her abilities?_

"One week, Kikyo. One week for your twin to die by your hands, or your mother shall die by mine." The voice faded away then, and Kagura gave a snort of annoyance.

"You have your orders, girl. See that you follow them. Come, Kanna." The teacher was apparently bored with the whole thing, and her voice also began fading away. Cali knelt up again to see her leave around the corner of the building, the white girl following silently, her mirror clutched to her chest. She watched them disappear from sight before turning back to Kikyo.

The girl's hard exterior had crumbled, leaving her shoulders slumped and her chin on her chest. Her arms came up to hug herself as her body shook in repressed tears, and for a moment, Cali's heart went out to the girl. But the moment faded quickly, and soon Kikyo was striding back towards the school, head high and shoulders squared, a picture to all of confidence and strength.

Cali waited until she passed from sight before slowly closing the window again and going back to Kallos's side. She lifted his hand and began stroking it gently, trying to calm her nerves. The clock on the wall read 2:56 AM, and Cali again shook her head. Her last tie to her old life and her first friend in her new one were both supposed to be dead. _More people would die…_

_I'll have to tell Kagome. I hate bringing bad news, but she must know what Kikyo and Naraku are planning. Poor girl…either die yourself or let your mother die…no one should be forced to make that decision. Bu the Jewel is in Kagome, and she said that it rejected Kikyo…_

With a heavy sigh, she laid her face down on the blanket that covered Kallos…and there she finally let her tears flow.


	18. Mistletoe and Betrayal

**Disclaimer:** You know, after this long, I'm starting to wonder if I should even still have claim to this story...:sigh:

Please don't kill me. it's been a very long and tiring few months, and, while I haave a good reason for my prolonged absense, I don't much feel like going into the details at the moment. Still a bit too fresh in my mind to go blabbing out to my readers. Suffice to say...I did some soul searching. It was a painful journey, but here I am, back to my story. I only just remembered that I left you guys with the knowledge that I was in the path of the hurricane, and it was thoughtless and rude of me to not let everyone know that I was okay and that the story would continue on at some point. Please...forgive me?

Well...this chapter is a bit short and vague, but we're getting back into the heavier stuff next chapter, so bear with me for now.

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**ladyofcamlann:** Thanks for reading and reviewing. 

**inu'sdarkangel89:** Yeah, I've got a three-year-old son, who's quite a handful. His current favorit pastime is waking up before us and getting into whatever he can, including the ferret's food (which he then dumps into the ferret's cage) and the refridgerator (which he likes to leave open). Ah well, what can I do except love him? Thanks again for reviewing!

**Silver Rain Drops:** I always seem to find a bit of pity for villians, since something always has to make them the way they are. Next to no one is born pure evil. Thanks again!

**Raithya:** Once again, you give me my longest reviews.:) I'm not sure what all this chapter will answer for you, but I will put your mind at least a bit at ease in the fact that Kallos will be living. I've had a few special requests for the next chapter anyways, and Christmas is the season of miracles, so who knows? Thanks for reading!

**darkangelprincess24:** Nah, I wouldn't kill her, because then my story would die too.

**Fading Memories:** Thank you muchly! I try to keep everything original, and it's good to know that I'm succeeding, at least to some degree. :)

**YuniX-2:** Plot twists and cliffhangers are my buddies. :)

**Nebacanezzar:** Thankie for reviewing, Nebbers, and thanks for sticking with me through all this. Everyone say hi to Kallos's creator!

**mizushoubai:** DAMNED good review! Thankie kindly. :)

**Ezekial Daemo:** :hugs: I'm trying, babe, I really am.

**hector rivas:** Finish? I'm not sure. Work on it? Hopefully a lot more. I don't plan on having such a long break between chapters again, and I apologise again for making you wait. v.v

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**Chapter Eighteen – Mistletoe and Betrayal**

Christmas had blindsided most of the students this year, as they woke up to find the hallways of the school covered in garlands and holly, as well as the quartet of decorated trees in the corners of the dining room. To many of the occupants of the castle, it was the picture of merriness and festivity, reminding them all that old Saint Nick would be visiting in just five days, but to those select few, it proved that time was slowly running out.

Kagome wandered the halls after dinner, her mind running over the information Caligo had passed on at breakfast. Frankly, she had been startled as the albino feline came barreling through the breakfast hall not a full day after Kallos had been put into a coma, but the news she carried had completely floored her. She had made it through the rest of the day in pure shock, and while she knew she had worried at least a few of her teachers, she couldn't bring herself to tell them the information she carried.

Somehow, if she said it out loud, it would make it real. And Kagome wanted nothing more than to wake up to find the whole thing was a dream.

But now, all alone in the festive hallways of the school, she found she could believe it just a little more, and she did nothing to stop the tears that were flowing steadily down her face. Her sister had made a choice, to either kill her twin or her mother would die. _The nerve of him! How dare he do this!_

She paused at a bay window and sat down, leaning her head against the chilled glass. The hollow feeling that had gotten her though the day had completely vanished, leaving her mind in a frenzy. But all the thinking and rationalizing and plotting was getting her nowhere, as the cold reality just kept coming back to center stage in her mind, demanding that it be known and accepted for what it was.

The tears began to flow faster, and still she did nothing to stop them.

"One week…" She mumbled to herself, watching as her breath misted against the cool window, fogging around the trail her tears had left. "I have one week to figure this out and save myself…" Her eyes drifted closed as her body slumped on the window seat. "I need help."

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In the days before Christmas, the conspiracy against the headmaster met at every available minute in Kallos's room, knowing it to be one of the few places they would be safe from prying eyes and wondering minds. After all, it was the holiday season, and who wouldn't want to visit with a sick friend at every possible moment in this time of goodwill towards your fellows? And that's what the rest of the student body was told, that Kallos had suffered some injury by doing something foolhardy, though the details were fuzzy at best, and thus caused all sorts of rumors. Some claimed he had a suicidal streak and had flung himself from the bell tower. Others said it was simply a riding accident. 

No one attempted to stop the rumors.

And still, the conspiracy had no idea of how to stop Kikyo from fulfilling her mission, save for guarding Kagome at all hours of the day and night. It was both unnerving and comforting at the same time, always to have a friend close at hand, but knowing that they were trying to protect her from being killed by her only sister.

Kikyo saw this, and was both afraid and a bit more determined, still remembering the day when she had promised herself that Kagome would pay. But her will was tainted with pity and a bit of pride that her sister could still make friends, even after such a long time bedridden. Within herself, Kikyo found her younger, more naïve side constantly at war with the power she had found and unleashed against her sister, each pulling and twisting her around until she simply shut them all down and walked about the halls with a distant, cold look in her eyes. It worried her sister's friends at least, and she took a bit of confidence from that fact.

Naraku saw the band Kagome had formed around herself, and hated her all the more for it. To him, it simply meant that his army was shrinking and becoming divided. Even that blasted cat, who he had tried to kill so many times before, was still alive and breathing in the infirmary, the one place he could not reach because of the many wards and barriers put up by the old miko. He hated the fact that he logically could not show his true form for long in the school, lest all the full demons in the place band together and slay him for his deeds. He knew they could smell him, though he had tainted and altered his scent to be more like a human's, but if he shed his exterior façade before the time was right, he would lose everything he had worked for. And so he was forced to sit in half-hiding, waiting for the time when Kikyo would strike down her sister, and he would provide justice for the fallen girl by "banishing" her sister, but in reality keeping her locked away in a special chamber which he had prepared long ago, hiding her away until it was time…

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Christmas Eve was dark and cold, with yet another blizzard blowing through the school grounds. But inside, the mood was happy as the students milled about the ballroom, some decorating the large Christmas tree that stood before the circular window, others wrapping presents, still others putting the finishing touches on the walls, all in preparation for the party that night. Even Sesshoumaru had been seen with Rin on his shoulder, helping her hang up a generous sprig of mistletoe off the front of the balcony. 

Kagome watched the scene from a corner, a slight smile on her face at the different interactions going on between her classmates and teachers. She was, for once, visibly alone as she wrapped a few gifts, having shooed Inuyasha and Kouga off so they wouldn't peek at their presents. Yet she took comfort in the fact that the large room still held everyone in the school, and that if she needed them, she had simply to call for her friends and they'd be at her side in an instant.

So it was with a happy sigh that she finished off the last present in her moderate pile and stood, stooping again to gather the brightly wrapped packages in her arms. She wandered slowly over to the large tree, gaze roaming over the decorations that seemed to be nearing completion. It wasn't until she unceremoniously ran into someone that her gaze snapped back to the front, where her eyes widened in fear at what she saw.

Kikyo stood before her, in all her calm, cold glory, holding one simply wrapped package in her slim hands. Kagome stumbled back a pace and cast her gaze to the floor in an effort to calm her now racing heart, but everything stopped dead when an all too familiar voice rang through the hall.

"Alright now, children, I think it's about time to get back to your rooms and prepare for tonight's masquerade." The Headmaster's voice had lost none of its commanding quality during the months they had been at school, and everyone moved to obey without question. Kagome skirted around Kikyo and scurried off to deposit her gifts under the tree before striding as quickly out of the room as she could, smiling as Inuyasha and Kouga once again assumed their places at her sides.

But she was well aware of the two gazes that were boring into her back, and a sudden feeling that the peace of tonight wouldn't last ran through her body, leaving her chilled despite the two warm bodies pressed to her sides.


	19. Behind the Masks

**Disclaimer:** He's not mine! I'm so ashamed! -cries-

Well, sorry about the wait again, but hopefully you guys aren't too mad at me. I finally got a new computer though, so I dance the dance of happy. Read and enjoy! Oh, and on a side note, I wrote a little short story based on a dream I had. So...read if you're interested.

www. deviantart. com/ deviation/ 31892313/ (remove the spaces)

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**Cold Kikyo** - Yay! Thankya.

**darkangelprincess24** - Heh...sorry about that.

**Nebacanezzar** - Just takes practice, Nebbers!

**dArK sK8tEr** - Yup, I have two kids: my son and my husband. Only difference is that my husband's toys are more expensive. :) I had a friend like that...she was on her third child last I heard from her, and she's a year younger than me. Ah well, what can you do? Thankya for reviewing again!

**YuniX-2** - Nothing wrong with muchly! I'm guilty of saying it. Hope this was soon enough!

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**Chapter Nineteen – Behind the Masks**

Kagome stood silently at the window of her room, half listening to the sounds of Sango and Ayame fussing over each other's hair in the background as she watched the newest snowstorm blowing about the school. She was almost regretting suggesting that her friends use her room as a dressing room, but she knew that it would have been worse to just sit around by herself, waiting for the great bell to ring, waiting for the masque, waiting for yet another day to come to a close, and wondering if it were her last….

A squeal of pain broke her out of her musings, and she turned sharply to where Ayame was profusely apologizing to Sango, having just burned the other girl with a curling iron. The two were soon back to giggling again, and Kagome let a slight smile appear on her face as she wandered over and sat on the edge of her bed, arranging her skirts around her.

_It was a lovely dress_, she admitted grudgingly, trying not to let herself think how much it must have cost her mother. The simply cut satin skimmed over her frame, shimmering in different shades of grey, pearl, and silver. The loose sleeves were cuffed with pearls, matching both the hem and the scoop-neck. Her hair was curled and pinned in a tight bunch at the back of her head, and strands of pearl beads had been threaded through the dark mass. Ayame, in all her wisdom, had brought a container of silvery powder, and had proceeded to apply it generously across Kagome's neck, chest, and face, even sprinkling a bit into her hair.

She supposed that it had the desired effect, since both girls had stopped to stare at her for a moment before smiling and getting back to work on themselves. Ayame was swiftly turning into a wood nymph, with a simple green and gold dress that hung to her feet, with plenty of little golden bells on her wrists, ankles, neck, and tying off the numerous fiery braids that hung from the wolf's head. Her lips had been painted a reddish-bronze, her eyes with sparkling emerald shadow, and her bare feet had a dusting of the same powder she had used on Kagome, causing her to leave a silver trail around the room.

Sango had surprised her, however, by going for a sleeker look. Her dress was a deep purple with light blue pin striping, form-fitted to her upper half before flaring out slightly at her waist. The dress had a high collar, which her further accented by looping a thin silver chain around her neck in various lengths. A pair of thin silver cuffs circled her bare upper arms, further accenting the lack of sleeves, along with Sango's naturally athletic build. Her hair was loose and curled how it pleased, and the look was finished off by a pair of thigh high boots.

A light knock at the door caught the girls' attention, and Kagome moved to answer it as the other two scrambled to put their finishing touches on. She pulled open the door a bit and peeked around it, her face finally lighting up as a smile forced its way past her melancholy. Inuyasha simply smiled back and nodded slightly in approval of what little he saw of her face.

"Me and the other guys are heading down to the ballroom" he whispered through the crack, studiously keeping his gaze locked with hers so that neither could see anything but each other's eyes. "We've told the other girls, so they should be grouping out here in a few minutes." He glanced behind him briefly as the sound of male voices got louder before fading away again, telling her that the group had begun moving down the stairs. But when he turned his eyes back to hers, they had turned hard and steady, and Kagome had to swallow hard at the sudden change.

"Be careful, Kagome. No one we've talked to has seen Kikyo tonight, and you'll have fewer friends watching you on the trip down there, and they can't carry their weapons." He sighed and let his head fall against the door frame for a moment, his ears lying back against his head. "Hell, it almost makes me wish that damn furball was around…" He glanced back up to her and let a small smile show again. "Just…be careful, okay?"

She let out a soft chuckle, though it sounded forced even to her own ears as she fought back a round of tears. She slipped a hand out to gently trace the hanyou's jaw line, her own lips quivering slightly. "I'll be fine, Inuyasha. I've still got Ayame and Ryfen and all the others, right? Surely…she can't get me away from all of them…" Her voice had dropped in tone as her eyes lowered, but the sound of a door opening somewhere caused her head to snap up. A head of pink hair appeared out of the door diagonal from theirs and peered around before locking in Inuyasha. Ryfen's eyes narrowed as she let out a slight hiss of warning before pulling back into her room.

Inuyasha just shook his head a bit before turning back to Kagome. "Well, I'll be going then. Come straight to me when you get down there, okay?" Kagome nodded and blew a kiss as Inuyasha turned and headed for the stairs in a jog. Kagome closed the door behind her and was instantly assaulted by Sango and Ayame, both in a frenzy of touch ups and mask adjustments. But to Kagome, it seemed like another hour had passed before she was finally allowed to put on her wings and follow her friends out into the hall to join the giggling crowd of masked females.

* * *

In the ballroom, it was a different air altogether. The boys stood in a line across the center of the room, all facing the doors with varying expectancy. Most of the teachers sat at their places at the table at the head of the room, but Vash and Kenshin stood at either side of the double doors, ready to open them at just the right time.

Inuyasha stood between Kouga and Ezekial, feeling very nervous despite being in his favorite clothes, his fire rat outfit that his father had bestowed to him when he was born. He longed to reach up and remove the scratchy, stiff fabric mask that covered the top half of his face, but the rules laid down by the teachers was that none of them could remove their masks until the end of the ball.

Anyone caught removing their own or someone else's mask would be immediately removed from the party, and confined in the headmaster's office until midnight.

A low growl rumbled its way from the hanyou's chest at the severe punishment for a removed mask. _That bastard has something planned, something up his sleeves…just gotta find Kagome and stick with her the whole night._ With a firm nod of his head, he turned his attention to the doors again, willing the teachers to open them, willing the crowd of females to push their way inside, willing Kagome to hunt him out….

A muted trumpet blasted from the other side of the door, causing the line of guys to jump almost in unison. Vash and Kenshin moved with practiced steps to the center of the doorway and paused for a moment before pulling and stepping back to their original places, securing the doors against the wall and standing in front of them with their hands behind their backs, smiling as the line seemed to grow more nervous.

Spike was the first to step through, looking like a mobster in his white suit and hat, and the way he was carrying the trumpet like a Tommy gun. He stopped and considered the line for a moment before moving the instrument to rest against his shoulder and stepping back to the side, bowing slightly towards the door.

As if on cue, the band overhead began playing a soft, slow waltz.

Ryfen was the first to step through, judging by the bright pink hair not completely covered by the top hat that sat tilted on her head. She paused and glanced around for a moment before a slight smile spread across her face. She strode easily over to Ezekial and curtsied before him, holding out the sides of her black and pink skirts. As she rose, Ezekial offered her a white gloved hand, and she accepted with a smile, but leaned in close to Inuyasha before Zeke could drag her off.

"Kagome wanted me to tell you she's fine." She whispered, smiling as his stance relaxed somewhat. She dipped her head to him and allowed Ezekial to lead her over to the dance floor as the next girl stepped in.

They continued in the same way as Inuyasha and Kouga both seemed to get more anxious. The wolf hadn't yet given up on the girl, and the hanyou was fast becoming panicked at the lack of Kagome. They had just begun a faint growling match when Kouga froze and stared slack jaw at the doors. Fearing the worst and nearly flying with hope in the same moment, Inuyasha turned as well, only to be highly confused as to the object of Kouga's affections.

For the lady who had just entered could have been none other than Ayame.

A faint smile appeared on Inu's face as the she-wolf walked slowly over to Kouga and curtsied before him, looking a bit shy at the sudden attention. But Kouga simply took her arm and lead her gently over to the dance floor, not even bothering to look back once. He simply chuckled and turned back to the door, only to have his own world freeze.

Kagome stood just inside the doorway, watching him almost nervously, her hands clasped tightly at her waist. The sheen of the powder across her neck and shoulders seemed to make her skin glow in the candlelight of the ballroom. She moved forward slowly, causing the light, gossamer wings on her back to flutter lightly against her shoulders.

All he could do was stand and watch as she walked over to him slowly, her eyes dancing behind the silk-covered half mask, clearly amused by his reaction. His feet seemed to move of their own accord as he took a step forward to meet her, reaching out his hand. She took it and gave it a gentle squeeze as they moved to the dance floor.

* * *

The night was passing much too quickly for Kagome's tastes. She wanted to slow down and enjoy what could very well be her last night on Earth, but time seemed to have a mind of its own. Still, the night had its surprises.

The first was when Kagome spotted a pair of people slipping into the room from one of the side doors before melding into the throng on the dance floor. The taller of the two seemed to be wrapped in bandages beneath his heavy cloak and ornate headdress that served as his mask. The smaller was decked out in Egyptian garb, complete with face-paint and a headdress of her own. Closer inspection of the couple both shocked and pleased her. Both of them had tried hard to conceal their identities, but the smaller one had let her snow white tail slip out on accident. From the lack of shock through the crowd, Kagome had been the only one to notice that Caligo and Kallos had appeared among them.

The second came when Kagome's feet simply couldn't keep her up anymore, and Inuyasha led her over to the chairs set up along the wall. After doing a throughout check of the area, her left her there to rest as he scurried off to get drinks for them both. She had slumped back against the chair, after shifting her wings out of the way, when the world suddenly went silent.

She looked up instantly, and was startled to find the room had gone black and white, like an old time movie. Actually, more like an old time photograph, as no one was moving. She stood slowly and peered around, her eyes widening with every moment. There was Cali and Kallos, in the middle of a waltz. There was Ryfen, trying to drag Ezekiel onto the dance floor. There was Inuyasha, paused in the middle of hurrying back over to her with the drinks, a few drops of punch he had spilled hung in midair.

"It's only temporary." Came a soft male voice from beside her. She whipped around and fell back a few steps, her hands coming up in a defensive pose. But her mouth fell open at what she found.

The man before her was almost too…_pretty_ to be as old as he must. He simply towered over her. His eyes were hidden behind the mop of red hair that hung around his head, and his face was either painted or was naturally completely white. She simply stared at him, and he stared back, a small, sinister grin spreading slowly across his face.

"Who…who are you?"

"It doesn't matter."

"What do you want?"

"Not a thing."

Kagome bit down on her rising anger and chanced a glance around the room again, but when she looked back, she was staring at a chest an inch from her nose. With a surprised squeak, she tried to skitter backwards, only to have her shoulder grabbed as the man held her firmly. She craned her head back to look up at him, a shiver running through her at the look in his eyes.

"It's not what I _want_, little girl. It's what I need."

A sudden scream ran through her as she pushed with all her might on the man's chest. A strange warmth spread through her, and she squeezed her eyes shut at a sudden light. The pressure left her shoulder, and she felt herself sitting down again, but didn't dare to open her eyes.

The sound came back gradually, like a radio that was slowly being turned up. She had a sudden thought that if her eyes had been open, the color and motion would be returning to the room in the same way.

"Kagome! Kagome? Hey, what's wrong?" Inuyasha's voice pierced through her mind, and she let her eyes flutter open. A quick glance around confirmed that everything was back to normal, and the strange man was nowhere to be seen. She locked eyes with Inuyasha and gave him a wan smile.

"Nothing's wrong, Inu. Just a little tired." She leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before accepting the cup he offered. He only returned the smile and sat down next to her, his gaze roving over the dancing couples.

_It won't do any good to tell him…_ Kagome mused_. He'll just fly into a panic and cause a scene. Maybe I just imagined it all anyways._ But one glance down at her throbbing palms denied that. They were bright red.

* * *

Headmaster Naraku swirled the goblet in his hand idly as he watched the dancing students boredly. Kagura sat beside him with only the sound of her relentless tapping of her fan on the underside of the table to show how agitated she was.

"It didn't work, Naraku. She got away again." She hissed out of the corner of her mouth.

"I didn't expect it to work." Naraku muttered, his voice giving away just how relaxed and bored he was. "That one has always been too unpredictable, even on his best days. Must be that blasted human side of his coming out again."

Kagura snorted. "So why even chance it? Why give her a warning signal?"

Naraku only smiled as he nodded slightly towards the girl in question. "Because _she_ thinks she imagined it, and didn't tell her dear hanyou. But the truth of the matter is that she had to expend a good bit of energy just to fend him off. Think of it…" He paused and took a sip from his glass as he thought. "…think of it like the Christmas Story. While she might not be visited by three true spirits, she'll certainly be a changed girl in the end."


	20. The Second Spirit

**Disclaimer: **Nope, not mine. Wish they were though, cuz then I'd be rich and famous. Ah well.

Once again, sorry for the lack of chapters. Life's been crazy. I know this one is short, but we get the second spirit, so hopefully that'll make up for it.

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**Kairi:** Thankya kindly!

**Ryo-Truesdale:** Wow...that's one of the better compliments I've recieved. Thanks!

**Cold Kikyo:** Once again, thanks for your continued support!

**YuniX-2:** Guess I didn't make him obvious enough, or maybe most people haven't played Xenogears. Anyway, that was Id.

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**Chapter Twenty – The Second Spirit  
**

The bell chimed eleven, signaling that there was only an hour left before midnight, Christmas, and the end of the ball. The music had stopped just in time, and the dancing couples all paused and turned in unison in the direction of the sound, every face upturned as if drawn by an invisible force. No one moved until the last tone died out, and even then, the mood was a good deal tenser.

Once the music began again, Inuyasha took the opportunity to scan the ballroom. The distinct lack of Kikyo was beginning to grate his nerves, especially since the feeling that he had forgotten something important had wormed its way into his mind and was simply not letting go.

With a grunt and a shake of his head, Inu turned from the throng of people and made his way back over to Kagome, still poking around in his mind to try and figure out what was missing. She gave him a wan smile as he flopped into the chair next to her and rested a hand on her leg. She leaned forward and tilted her head sideways to look up at him, concern evident in her eyes.

"What's wrong, Inu?" She asked, only loud enough to be heard over the music and chatter.

"Can't shake this feeling." he growled back, his eyes glancing over the assembly again. "We're forgetting something, I know it. But what the hell is it?"

His bare foot began tapping a restless beat on the wooden floor, his scowl becoming deeper and deeper with every passing moment. Kagome sighed and leaned back again, her eyes falling shut. "Go ask the others then. Maybe they can help you."

His head snapped to look at her, his agitation momentarily fading into worry. She seemed distant and tired…

With a murmur of apology and a reassuring squeeze of her leg, he got up and stalked off to find Kouga, leaving Kagome with her thoughts once more. She opened her eyes again to watch him leave, for a moment before glancing back down to her hands. The redness had faded, but her palms still throbbed. With a grimace, she squeezed her hands into fists and looked up at the gathering again.

_They look happy_, she mused silently, watching the smiling faces. All the couples that had been set up at the beginning of the year had finally worked out. Even Sango was happily dancing with Miroku, who finally seemed to have figured out that some times weren't appropriate for groping. Her gaze turned to Inuyasha, and her own smile resurfaced, but it was short lived.

_Wait…couples…roommates…that's it! That's what we forgot! It's Ban-_

The change wasn't so abrupt this time, but it was still obvious when the world slowed down. Everyone still danced. The music still played, though it was considerably more eerie. The colors slowly muted themselves, fading out the vibrant colors and sheens until only one thing seemed to shine in the room.

It was a cat.

It walked slowly towards her, its white and purple head cocked slightly to the side. It sidestepped the dancers with no trouble, and no one else seemed to notice the little creature. Despite her panicked state, her heart went out to the creature, and she slipped out of her chair and knelt on the floor, reaching her hand out to the cat.

"You're wasting your time. Alfador only likes me."

Her head snapped to the right at the soft child's voice. A young boy stood a few feet away, bathed in the same light that seemed to surround the cat. He was dressed in a simply purple robe that reached his feet. His hair was blue, and his eyes were a vibrant green. At his voice, Alfador also turned, and with a happy mew, he bounded over to the boy and rubbed on his legs. The boy's eyes remained locked on Kagome's, his head tilting in much the same way his cat's had.

"The black wind howls…" A slight smile worked its way onto his face as Kagome began to stand. He opened his mouth to speak again, but something behind her caught his gaze, and his words were lost as he and the cat suddenly faded away.

Fearing what she would find, Kagome straightened and turned slowly, her head tilting back as she looked up at the face of the man before her. He was clad in leather armor and a heavy blue cape which seemed to flutter in an unseen wind. As with the boy and the cat, he seemed to glow against the muted colors of the ballroom.

It suddenly came to her mind that this man was the boy's older form.

He studied the spot where the boy had stood, his eyes calm and cold, but with a deep pain that he fought to hide. "I said that to another, once." He commented in an almost offhand manner before turning his gaze to hers, a wicked smile revealing his pointed teeth. "He died shortly after."

Kagome's heart stopped, and she stepped back, clawing feebly at her chest and throat. The man followed her like a cat stalking its prey. He reached up and traced a cool finger over her jaw line, his smile growing more and more sinister. "He died…he was ripped apart. It must have hurt _very_ badly." He chuckled as her eyes widened, shaking his head slightly. "Luckily for you, little girl, _I_ wasn't the one who killed him."

The pain flashed through his eyes again, but he hid it by gripping her chin and tilting her head to the side. He leaned in close, sending a shiver through her body as his breath brushed over her exposed ear and neck. "If _he_ gets his way…you'll die in the same manner tonight."

A roaring began in her head, ushering in the voices that she had hoped never to hear again. Her eyes squeezed shut as a pair of tears coursed down her cheeks. She was vaguely aware of the pressure leaving her chin. Dimly, she heard someone calling out to her, and she opened her eyes to find the source.

Her gaze fell once more on the little boy, now holding his cat and watching her carefully. Once they locked eyes, he spoke a single word.

"Mitternacht."

In a flash, they disappeared, finally allowing the colors and movement to return to the room. Her name rang out again, and she turned her head to the sound, her mouth opening and closing in the effort to call back to Inuyasha. But her body still wasn't responding, and the other voices were getting louder. The edges of her vision darkened as she crumpled to the floor, a soft moan escaping before her world went completely dark, and the pain of the blight returned.


	21. Ties

**Disclaimer:** No more mine than they were before.

Well guys, here we are again. Another chapter, another little cliffhanger. No spirit this time, so this is an interlude of sorts. We'll be getting back to the spirits next chapter. As for my extended absense, let me just say that my computer hates me, and I've had to format/reinstall four times since my last posting. That combined with my husband starting work again, and my son starting Pre-K, we get a rather hectic schedule. But, finally, my muse has returned yet again, and I hope to finish up this story by the end of this year. Once again, thank you all for reading and sticking with me.

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Not doing individual responses today. Just be grateful the chapter is up. :P

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**Chapter Twenty-One – Ties**

_The doors were locked._

Inuyasha growled deep in his throat, eyeing the staff table with barely contained fury. When Naraku had said that no one could leave until midnight, he certainly hadn't been kidding. He broke his glare at the man in question to glance down at Kagome's limp form, lying across his lap with his haori draped over her frail form. Only then did his expression soften, running a claw gently along the curve of her chin. Even in her sleep – and the obvious pain she must be experiencing – she was beautiful. How he wished he could enter her dreamscape and defend her from the voices and the pains…

A shadow fell over her form, and Inuyasha's head snapped to the source, his lips pulled back into a fierce snarl as his arms tightened around the girl. His anger faded as he recognized the scents coming from the two covered forms, though his arms didn't release Kagome.

Caligo knelt gingerly beside the hanyou, her bright red eyes worried behind the ornate Egyptian mask she wore. "I saw what happened, Inu. Is she…?"

Not trusting himself to speak, Inuyasha simply nodded, returning his eyes to the staff table. The Headmaster was sitting calmly in his chair, simply watching the milling students with a half-smile on his face. If he had seen Kagome's condition, he gave no indication.

Cali stood and turned to look across the ballroom as well, her eyes narrowing. Kallos stood silently behind her, motionless and still weakened, but giving the impression of strength. Inu had the distinct impression that the show was for Caligo's sake.

"Odd, though…" Cali muttered, so softly that Inuyasha had to twist an ear in the neko's direction to insure that he heard what she thought was strange. "No one else seems to have noticed what happened. I just happened to glance over when I saw Kagome fall, but no one else has come over." She tilted her head, her arms coming up to cross at her waist. "Almost like…if they didn't actually watch it happen, they don't know anything's wrong."

Inuyasha frowned, considering the girl's words. It had annoyed him as well, that none of the others had come over. After a few minutes, he had tried to blow it off as them respecting his space, but that theory simply felt wrong. Kouga had absolutely no respect for personal boundaries…

Inuyasha grunted once, shifting Kagome into a better position on his lap. "It's possible, cat, but that makes it even worse." He muttered back, his gaze moving to scan the crowd. They all danced and talked and laughed, as if nothing was wrong, as if nothing strange had happened in their midst, as if…

_As if they had their entire lives ahead of them._

Inuyasha's heart plummeted as the room went dark.

* * *

It was a few moments before the screams of the other students suddenly silenced, leaving the little group of four alone in the silence and darkness. Struggling with the awkward bulkiness of Kagome's dress, Inuyasha clamored to his feet and turned to Kallos. "Oi, cat. You strong enough to hold her?" His only answer was a grunt of affirmation, and a pair of bandaged arms accepting the load from the hanyou's arms.

"Thanks, ca- I mean, Kallos." He grumbled, turning away to stand near Caligo, his hand moving down to grasp Tetsusaiga's hilt. "You ready?" Cali glanced at him and smiled slightly behind her mask, her nod barely visible in the dim light from the stained glass window at the far end of the room. Heavy clouds seemed to have covered the sky, leaving only the faintest of glows from the full moon.

A faint shifting rang though the stillness that had settled over the room, drawing the trio's eyes to the area in front of the window, where a shadow lay crouched on the floor. Inuyasha took a step forward, but a sudden hiss of anger to his right made him stop and turn.

Cali crouched down into an attack position, her hands up and gleaming claws extended. Her snarl was muted by the full mask she wore, but it was still obvious that the cat was beyond angry.

"Get up, you traitor!" She screeched, suddenly darting forward at the crouched figure, Inuyasha fast in her wake. Their intended target seemed to move in slow motion, moving into a standing position with it's back to the light as they rushed it. It looked male from the stance and the lack of a dress that had been the standard of the evening; both the figure's legs were clearly defined. Still, if it was male, he was very small and slender…

As Cali reached the figure, her claws swiped through air. The shadow had disappeared without even a whisper of sound. Inuyasha pulled up before running into Caligo, who had skidded to a stop on all fours, looking even more like a cat than normal. Her head flashed from side to side before she straightened again and turned, her head lifting slightly to test the air.

A hoarse laugh rang through the empty room, followed by a light thump. A shriek of pain and anger caught Inuyasha's attention, and he turned to Cali, only to find her standing stiff, a gleaming set of claws pressed against her throat. Even this didn't stop her furious hissing, but it was obvious she couldn't move without risking her own life.

The same slight figure stood behind Cali, a dark hood covering it's head. The voice that came from the hood was bone chilling, but still somewhere between genders. "You have much to worry about, hanyou, but this cat should be the least of your worries. The other students…" The figure paused to drag a ragged breath through the material of it's hood. "…the others have been moved from this room. They deserve your worry, but…" Another ragged breath from the darkness as Inuyasha's hand twitched on the hilt of Tetsusaiga. "…you should worry most about the frail one."

For the second time that night, Inuyasha's heart dropped. A single glance to Caligo's vibrant eyes was the only encouragement he needed, and he spun, rushing back across the hall towards where he left Kallos and Kagome. Cali silently watched him go, her hands opening and closing on air, instead of around her attacker's neck where she wanted them to be. Once his form had melded with the shadows, she dared to speak.

"How did you do it?" She whispered through gritted teeth, her eyes shifting over to try and see the figure around her mask without moving her neck. A faint chuckle issued from the hood as the claws pressed even closer. Cali winced as she felt her skin break around the needle-like point of the figure's middle finger, and watched with morbid fascination as a thin trickle of blood ran down the claw, only to be absorbed into the glove that hid the figure's hand.

"It's…not what you think, cat, and it certainly wasn't easy. Still, being demon-like is awfully fun, don't you agree?"


	22. Mitternacht

**Disclaimer: **You should know this by now.

Eheheh...yeah, I kinda disappeared there. Yes, I'm a very naughty author. slaps own wrist Hopefully...this will make up for at least part of my long absence. If not...well, hopefully I'll be updating more frequently.

Thank you to everyone who's reviewed! . YOU ROCK!

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**Chapter Twenty-two - Mitternacht**

It was cold and dark again, the mists of the Blight trailing over her prone body, carving their little threats and promises into her soul. She shuddered involuntarily at the sensation, but something seemed wholly different about this time. She could move her fingers and toes, could turn her head...and a thin sheet was covering her body. Sudden movement to her right caught Kagome's attention, and with some difficulty, she turned to look.

There was a young girl sitting on a rotting log, her body seeming to glow amongst the gloom of the Blight. She wore a simple white dress and had left her long reddish hair to fall as it pleased. Though she could feel the mists blowing, the girl never moved, not a hair ruffled from it's place.

"Hello, Kagome." She spoke clearly, quietly, and the mists seemed to shrink back from her. "Though I'm certain you are well accustomed to this place, you have nothing to fear from me. His plan didn't work, and I have come to you instead of the one he intended." Her hands came to fold in her lap as she studied the dark-haired girl for a moment. "He fears you, though he has not put such feelings into words. Doing so, he thinks, will make you all the more powerful. That is why he sent these others to weaken you and make you vunerable, as he has been doing the same with your sister." The girl seemed to sigh, her gaze wandering off across the Blight. Kagome struggled to speak, to ask questions of the girl, but though her lips moved slightly, her throat wouldn't cooperate.

Noticing Kagome's troubles, the girl turned back to her. "Don't worry, all will be answered eventually." She glanced upward suddenly, her outline wavering. "The white-haired one is approaching. I shall tell him what I am able."

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The silence was oppressive, broken only by the thin slapping of bare feet on hard wood. Whatever light had been coming from the stained glass window blotted out suddenly, but whether from a cloud or something else, Inuyasha didn't care to check. Something suddenly shone out of the darkness to his right, and he skidded to a halt, eyes wide and staring. Kallos was on his side, his mask off and eyes glazed over. A few feet away lay Kagome, her mask also removed and her face even paler that normal. A girl stood between them, watching him, her hands clasped behind her back. Though the corners of her mouth didn't raise or lower, he got the feeling she was smiling nonetheless. 

"Hello, Inuyasha." Her voice carried across the blank darkness between them, making the silence seem just a little friendlier. "I do not have long, but you have nothing to fear from me." She glanced to Kallos briefly before shaking her head. "This one was to be Kagome's undoing. He was to be possessed by Naraku's third spirit and he was to take Kagome from this place. As you can see, he has failed. Your friend is not possessed, and Kagome will suffer no ill from the meeting." Inuyasha breathed a sigh of relief and made to sheathe Tetsusaiga, but the glowing girl held up a hand. "Your troubles are not over, Inuyasha. Once she puts the pale one out of the battle, that other will be back to finish the job. This one," she gestured to Kallos, "is in no immediate danger, but you must get Kagome away from here. She is –"

"The hell? I won't leave him to get killed off!" The hanyou exploded, pointing his sword at the girl, who had the decency to look properly taken aback. "The 'pale one', as you say, is my friend, and if you think I'm just gonna stand here and let them both die just so me and Kagome can get away, you're dead wrong. Damn cats would probably haunt me anyways." He trailed off into a grumble, finally turning back to glance at the wan light coming from the room's only window. The cloud had passed, and there was no sign of Caligo or her attacker. Turning back to the girl, he was surprised to find her actually smiling.

"Very well then. I shall do what I can to wake this one up. The least he can do is carry Kagome for you. Keep guard, hm?" With that, she turned to Kallos and held her hands over his face. Inuyasha watched in fascination for a moment before the girl gave him a very pointed look that reminded him of just what he was supposed to be doing. With a slightly sheepish nod, he turned to stare across the blank expanse of the ballroom, his sword held at the ready.

Almost ten minutes passed before the silence was broken, but it wasn't the girl's voice, or the raspy breathing of the unknown attacker. The huge clock in the entrance hall began chiming its hour. At five, Kallos was sputtering and coughing, apparently trying to scramble away from the girl in shock. At eight, she was assuring him, urging him to take Kagome and leave. At ten, Inuyasha was turning to yell at him.

At eleven, Tetsusaiga was knocked out of his hands by the same black-cloaked figure. The sword returned to its rusty state as it clattered across the floor and into the far wall. Cursing under his breath, the hanyou jumped backwards, landing a few feet from Kagome's prone form. The light the girl gave was enough to throw the cloaked figure into sharp relief, picking out the well-built body and the barest hint of breasts that were obviously bound to hide her identity. She skirted the edge of the ring of light, her breath harsh and grating from behind her over-large fencing hood.

At twelve, she jumped, and Inuyasha leapt to meet her, claws and metal flashing. They struck at each other again and again, each one keeping even pace with the other. Neither spoke as they darted and attacked, nor did their spectators say a word. Kallos had finally gotten to his feet and gathered up Kagome and moved to stand behind the glowing girl.

'_There's something wrong with her legs.'_ Came a sudden thought to the tall neko as he watched the two. The cloaked figure's movements were slowing, an odd stiffness seeming to contort her lower body. At the same time, her torso seemed to be lengthening, her arms thickening. Her breathing was louder than ever as she fought off Inuyasha with increasing difficulty, her swipes and strides becoming more frantic.

It was over almost faster than Kallos could register, though it was his own fault. The figure had jumped backwards and landed with one foot on the mask he'd left on the floor. A high-pitched, whining cry issued from behind the mask as she fell, Inuyasha leaping at the chance to end the fight quickly. His hand came across badly, his claws ripping through the metal mesh of the mask's face and through the cheek of the girl underneath. She hit the ground hard and scuttled backwards as best she could, keeping her face down, but Inuyasha followed, his claws now dripping. She ducked away as he reached down and grabbed what remained of the mask, but there was no mistaking the untidy mop of blue hair that appeared.

"…You?" The hanyou stumbled to a halt, staring at his classmate. The seemingly timid Lynx now stared up at him with a strange blankness in her green eyes. She was smiling, he realized, but something wasn't right. She backed up again, finally hitting the wall before struggling to her feet and clicking on the light with her outstretched arm. He was blinded for a moment, but she made no further move to attack.

She simply regarded him. "Aren't you going to kill me, Inuyasha?" Her voice was even worse without the hood, the streams of blood from her cheek spilling down her lips and chin as she tilted her head. A shudder ran through her, and he was shocked to watch a pair of ears, somewhere between canine and feline, sprout from the top of her head and grow until they nearly shadowed her face. She laughed, showing her bloody and elongated teeth. "I'll not last much longer. I've lost control of it." She chuckled faintly as she slid to the ground again, her legs lengthening and pushing out the bottom of her pants, her feet now more hooves than flesh. Multi-colored fur was spreading over her body as one pupil stretched into the slit of a cat's and the other widened until it nearly engulfed the iris. She never stopped that hoarse chuckle, despite the range of pain that crossed her features.

Inuyasha dropped the hood and moved to crouch beside her, trying hard to ignore the fact that her body was quickly growing much too large and misshapen for her clothes to hold onto. "What happened to you?" He asked out of a lack of anything better to say. Her head lolled to the side, mismatched eyes now staring up at him as she slumped sideways. "He's smarter than you think." She wheezed out, blood now dripping from her nostrils. "He had a…friend of his…guy named Tucker…fuse me with a bunch of animals." She coughed blood, a deep shudder running through her. "Told me I was…a chimera. Liked it, at first…it's amazing what you demons must feel…but I lost control." She reached down with a hand that was fast growing scales to pet at the thick black fur of her now horselike legs. "Used…my own horse…oh gods." Her eyes tightened shut in true pain, her clawed hand digging into the flesh of her furry thigh.

"You are not meant to be." The calm voice from behind him made Inuyasha turn, having already forgotten that there was still an unknown girl in the room. The blazing light overhead had dimmed her glow greatly, leaving her a faded memory he was sure he could bat away with a flick of a finger. Lynx had looked up again, studying the girl silently before understanding dawned in her eyes. "You're the one…he didn't want here. Where's Albedo, Nephilim?" The misshapen girl asked with a bloody smile, which Nephilim returned only slightly.

"Albedo and his brothers are gone from this place. They, at least, know better than to mess with things they cannot comprehend." Both girls turned at a whisper of fabric, and Inuyasha followed their gazes to Kagome, who was standing under her own power with his haori around her shoulders. Kallos helped her walk over and both knelt beside Inuyasha and Lynx.

"Why did you do it?" Kagome asked, watching Lynx calmly. The two simply stared at each other for a long moment before the blue-haired girl smiled softly and shook her head. "Reasons don't matter to the dying. You should know that." Her gaze wandered to Kallos. "Cali's up in the balcony, bound and gagged with ofuda." Kallos simply nodded at the news of his friend, but didn't get up. Lynx's eyes shifted back to Nephilim as her body seemed to tighten. "You've won the battle…ask _him_ if you'll win the war."

Her body seemed to split along the seams, cracking and oozing thick blood. A hoarse scream shook the air as the three scrambled back, leaving only the thinly glowing girl beside their crippled and broken classmate. With one last gasping breath, Lynx died.


End file.
